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Turkey earthquake – latest: Baby born in rubble as death toll passes 7,900

A baby rescued from under the rubble of a five-story apartment building in a town in northwest Syria lost its mother just moments after the devastating earthquake struck

The newborn girl was found buried under the debris with her umbilical cord still connected to her mother, Afraa Abu Hadiya, who was found dead, they said.

The baby was the only member of her family to survive from the building collapse on Monday in the small town of Jinderis, next to the Turkish border, Ramadan Sleiman, a relative, said.

It comes as the search for survivors across Turkey and Syria has been impeded by the sub-zero temperatures and close to 200 aftershocks, which made the search through unstable structures perilous.

Locals in Hayat, Turkey’s worst-hit region, raged at the slow pace of rescue efforts as more than 7,900 people were reported to have died in the aftermath of the tremors across the two countries.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake was the deadliest to hit Turkey since 1999, and officials fear the death toll will keep rising.

Key Points

  • Miracle baby born in Turkey earthquake rubble as mother trapped during labour dies

  • Three British nationals missing after earthquake

  • Hundreds of families still trapped in sub-zero temperatures

  • Screams heard from under rubble in Turkey

  • Syria death toll crosses 2,000

  • Another powerful aftershock hits overnight

  • Map shows where exactly the earthquakes struck

Fire at Turkish port ‘under control’

10:47 , Andy Gregory

A container blaze at the port of Iskenderun has been brought under control, Turkey’s maritime authority has said – after an intensive fight to extinguish it from land, sea and air.

Operations at the port were shut down until further notice after a fire broke out due to Monday’s earthquakes, and freight ships were diverted to other ports.

A source from the port told Reuters that the flames had not spread to the area where flammable materials were stored, and that the nature of the fire, which has unleashed a huge cloud of black smoke over the city, was still unclear.

“We are suspecting it is plastic raw material or chemical but we could not clearly determine it as the containers collapsed and scattered,” the source said.

The fire at Iskenderun photographed on Tuesday (DHA (Demiroren News Agency)/AFP)
The fire at Iskenderun photographed on Tuesday (DHA (Demiroren News Agency)/AFP)

Children sleeping in cars as too scared to go inside, charity warns

10:17 , Andy Gregory

While the earthquakes have rendered many people homeless, some of those who are able have been left terrified to return indoors, prompting some to sleep in cars despite “incredible cold” temperatures, a charity has warned.

Kathryn Achilles, of Save the Children Syria, said: “It is incredibly cold in Syria right now. We are extremely concerned that many people, including children, could still be trapped under rubble.

“Others are still homeless and making do with what they can, including sleeping in cars. We are particularly worried about children sleeping outside in freezing temperatures.

“The scale of the devastation means that everyone living in the affected area is impacted ... When people whose job it is to deliver humanitarian aid are also affected, it makes it even more challenging to get much needed help to the region.

“This is on top of damaged roads across Türkiye and Syria, getting help to affected areas is incredibly difficult. The international community needs to do all it can to support local humanitarian actors.”

 (REUTERS/Umit Bektas)
(REUTERS/Umit Bektas)
People watch as rescuers search for survivors in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake in Hatay (REUTERS/Umit Bektas)
People watch as rescuers search for survivors in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake in Hatay (REUTERS/Umit Bektas)

A 41-year-old from Gaziantep, told the charity: “I woke up to the sound of the TV falling to the ground. I quickly rounded my five children and family and left the building.

“We are currently staying in prefabricated containers where there are over 20 children and their families who need support. We don’t have access to gas, electricity and basic utilities. All of us are distraught. My cousin’s son is too scared to be in closed areas and will now only sleep in the car.”

Erdogan travels to epicentre of quake amid calls for more help

09:41 , Andy Gregory

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to travel to the town of Pazarcik, the epicentre of the quake, and the worst-hit province of Hatay on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

His office has just been reported as saying that he has arrived in the region.

Turkey now has some 60,000 aid personnel in the area but with the devastation so widespread many are still waiting for help, with calls for the government to send more help to the disaster zone.

Watch: Moment Aleppo family rescued from third storey of collapsed house

09:22 , Andy Gregory

‘Window of survival closing,’ rescuers warn

08:41 , Andy Gregory

Rescuers have warned that time is running out to rescue those still alive beneath the rubble, as the search and recovery operation continues in bitterly cold conditions.

“People are losing that window where they might still survive if they are stuck under the rubble,” Shreen Mahmoud from UK-based Muslim charity SKT Welfare told BBC Radio 5 Live.

The affected area of Syria is experiencing “widespread destruction and devastation”, Ms Mahmoud said, adding that people “on the ground right now are unfortunately pulling dead bodies from the rubble”.

Hospitals in northern Syria are “running out of fuel and electricity, they need diesel to run the generators, they need painkillers, antibiotics, all the medication,” she added.

The White Helmets rescue team has also warned that “time is running out”, adding: “Every second could mean saving a life.”

A member of the Syrian civil defence, known as the White Helmets, stand near the rubble of a collapsed building late on Tuesday (RAMI AL SAYED/AFP via Getty Images)
A member of the Syrian civil defence, known as the White Helmets, stand near the rubble of a collapsed building late on Tuesday (RAMI AL SAYED/AFP via Getty Images)
Damaged buildings and rescue operations are seen in the aftermath of the earthquake, in Aleppo (White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS)
Damaged buildings and rescue operations are seen in the aftermath of the earthquake, in Aleppo (White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS)

Death toll surpasses 9,400, making quake world’s deadliest seismic event since 2011

08:30 , Andy Gregory

The death toll has climbed past 9,400, making it the world’s deadliest seismic event since the magnitude 9.0 quake off the northeast coast of Japan which triggered a tsunami and killed nearly 20,000 people in 2011.

Turkish authorities updated the country’s death toll to 6,957 on Wednesday.

In Syria, the government has reported 1,250 deaths in the areas it controls. The White Helmets, volunteer first responders in a rebel-held enclave, have reported 1,280 deaths.

More than 30,000 people have been injured.

The earthquake is now more deadly than the magnitude 7.8 quake in Nepal in 2015 which killed more than 8,800 people.

Satellite images show shocking destruction caused by Turkey earthquakes

08:22 , Stuti Mishra

Satellite images of three Turkish towns reveal the extent of the devastation caused by the worst earthquakes to hit the country in decades, as buildings are turned into rubble and white emergency tents cluster along the roads:

Satellite images show shocking destruction caused by Turkey earthquakes

Crews find survivors, many dead after Turkey, Syria quake

08:04 , Andy Gregory

Thinly-stretched rescue teams worked through the night into Wednesday, pulling more bodies from the rubble of thousands of buildings downed in Turkey and Syria by a catastrophic earthquake that killed more than 8,700, their grim task occasionally punctuated by the joy of finding someone still alive.

Nearly two days after the magnitude 7.8 quake struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, rescuers pulled a three-year-old boy, Arif Kaan, from beneath the rubble of a collapsed apartment building in Kahramanmaras, a city not far from the epicenter.

With the boy's lower body trapped under slabs of concrete and twisted rebar, emergency crews lay a blanket over his torso to protect him from below-freezing temperatures as they carefully cut the debris away from him, mindful of the possibility of triggering another collapse.

Read more:

Crews find survivors, many dead after Turkey, Syria quake

Live: Rescue efforts continue as death toll crosses 8,700

07:46 , Andy Gregory

Our video team has this live footage of the rescue operation in Adiyaman:

Dramatic video captures moment entire family were pulled from rubble after Syria earthquake

07:30 , Stuti Mishra

A Syrian family has been “miraculously” saved from underneath the rubble of their house after a devastating earthquake struck the country, rescuers said.

The Syria Civil Defence volunteer group, known as the White Helmets, said yesterday that it had retrieved “an entire family” buried under wreckage in the village of Bisnia, near Idlib in northwestern Syria.

“A true miracle,” said the group. “The sounds of joy embrace the sky – joy beyond belief.”

Read more here:

Child rescued after being trapped for 40 hours under rubble

07:20 , Stuti Mishra

A child buried inside the debris of a flattened building in Syria’s insurgent-held areas was rescued by the White Helmets after 40 hours.

The dramatic video of the rescue, shared by the organisation on Twitter, shows rescuers safely pulling the girl child out from under the debris, as people surrounding the area chant prayers for the child’s safety.

The clip is from Salqin, Idlib.

The organisation said hundreds of people still remain trapped under the debris as rescue operations enter third day today.

Taliban administration to send earthquake aid to Turkey, Syria

07:10 , Stuti Mishra

Afghanistan’s Taliban administration will send around $165,000 in aid to Turkey and Syria to help the relief efforts after Monday’s devastating earthquake, according to a foreign ministry statement.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ... announces a relief package of 10 million Afghanis ($111,024) and 5 million Afghanis ($55,512) to Turkiye and Syria respectively on the basis of shared humanity and Islamic brotherhood,” a ministry of foreign affairs statement said late on Tuesday.

Afghanistan is in the grips of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis and is itself the location of one of the United Nation’s largest humanitarian aid programs. The Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, sparking enforcement of sanctions on its banking sector, and no capital has formally recognised its government.

In Afghanistan, hundreds have also died in recent weeks due to bitter cold and an economic crisis.

Many aid groups have partially suspended operations due to a Taliban administration ruling that most female NGO workers could not work, leaving agencies unable to operate many programmes in the conservative country.

Western diplomats have said they will not consider formally recognising the administration unless it changes course on women’s rights.

Despite the cut of development funding that once formed the backbone of the Afghan state’s budget, the World Bank said in a report that the Taliban administration has increased exports - some of it coal to neighbouring Pakistan - and revenue collection remained strong, including from customs duties and mining royalties.

Earthquake death toll in Turkey rises to 6,234, says disaster management authority

06:52 , Stuti Mishra

The death toll in Turkey has risen to 6,234, the Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) said.

The number of those injured rose to 37,011, the agency said, adding that more than 79,000 personnel were engaged in search and rescue operations.

The total tally for both Turkey and Syria has now surpassed 8,700.

Earthquake death toll in Syria surpasses 2,500

06:50 , Stuti Mishra

The death toll in Syria from a devastating earthquake has surpassed 2,500, according to Syrian state media and a rescue service operating in the insurgent-held northwest.

The White Helmets rescue team said on Twitter the casualty toll in insurgent-held areas has risen to more than 1,280 deaths and more than 2,600 injured.

“The number is expected to rise significantly due to the presence of hundreds of families under the rubble, more than 50 hours after the earthquake,” the White Helmets wrote.

Overnight, the Syrian health minister said the number of dead in government-held parts of the country rose to 1,250, the state-run al-Ikhbariya news outlet reported on its Telegram feed. The number of wounded was 2,054, he said.

Live: View from Gaziantep after quake death toll passes 8,300

06:30 , Stuti Mishra

Death toll crosses 8,300 in Turkey and Syria

06:13 , Stuti Mishra

The number of people confirmed dead in Syria now stands at 2,470, taking the total tally of both countries to over 8,300.

Turkey’s official toll remains unchanged for now at 5,894.

Turkish vice-president, Fuat Oktay said more than 8,000 people so far have been pulled from the debris in Turkey. About 380,000 are taking refuge in government shelters or hotels, with others huddling in shopping malls, stadiums, mosques and community centres.

Rescue enters third day as many remain trapped in worst-hit regions

05:30 , Stuti Mishra

Rescuers endured freezing temperatures as they worked to pull people from the rubble in Turkey's particularly hard-hit province of Hatay.

Health minister Fahrettin Koca said 1,846 people have been rescued in Hatay province as of yesterday evening. The powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit 10 Turkish provinces on Monday.

Traumatised survivors waited by the wreckage for their loved ones to be rescued and videos showed buildings destroyed across various districts.

Speaking from Hatay, Mr Koca said 1,647 were killed and 6,200 injured in Hatay alone, which has suffered the highest casualties among all the affected provinces.

The Turkish government has come under criticism from survivors in Hatay and on social media for not getting adequate rescue teams to the province fast enough.

The presidency's communications directorate dismissed those criticisms as disinformation late on Monday.

Mr Koca said 2,749 buildings have collapsed in Hatay alone and said that number could increase. Nearly 3,000 rescue personnel were there and said the number would double by Wednesday.

Hatay's airport was closed after the quake destroyed the runway, complicating rescue efforts.

Hatay, which borders Syria and the Mediterranean, has been hit hard by the quake that had its epicentre about 175 kilometres north in Kahramanmaras.

An aerial photo taken by a drone shows emergency personnel during a search and rescue operation at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Iskenderun, district of Hatay (EPA)
An aerial photo taken by a drone shows emergency personnel during a search and rescue operation at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Iskenderun, district of Hatay (EPA)

UN releases $25m for emergency help to Turkey and Syria

05:08 , Stuti Mishra

The United Nations has released $25m from its emergency fund to help kick-start the humanitarian response to the earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

“As the people in the region deal with the devastating consequences of this tragedy, we want to tell them that they are not alone,” UN humanitarian chief and emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said yesterday evening.

“The humanitarian community will support them in every step of the way out of this crisis.”

UAE to provide $100m to Turkey and Syria

05:22 , Stuti Mishra

The United Arab Emirates says it will provide $100m in earthquake relief to Syria and Turkey.

The state-run WAM news agency reported the donation Tuesday. It said the decision came from Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and that the money would be split evenly between the two countries.

Chinese earthquake rescue team arrives in Turkey

04:33 , Stuti Mishra

An earthquake rescue team dispatched by China's government arrived in Turkey's Adana Airport early this morning, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The team, comprised of 82 members, brought 20 tonnes of medical and other rescue supplies and equipment, as well as four search-and-rescue dogs, according to CCTV.

The team will cooperate with the local government, the embassy in Turkey, the United Nations and other agencies on missions, including setting up a temporary command, carrying out personnel search and rescue and providing medical aid, CCTV said.

Separately, civil society rescue teams with at least 52 members from several provinces in China including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Guangdong are heading to the earthquake-stricken areas in Turkey to join the rescue effort, CCTV reported.

China has already committed to give a first tranche of 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in emergency aid to Turkey.

Syria death toll crosses 2,000

04:10 , Stuti Mishra

Syria’s White Helmets, the rescue group working in opposition-controlled areas, has updated its earthquake death toll to 1,220.

The total death toll in Syria, including the 812 reported from government-held areas, now stands at 2032.

The numbers are expected to increase “significantly”, the White Helmets said.

Kim Jong-un expresses 'deep sympathy' with Syria, stays silent on Turkey

03:42 , Stuti Mishra

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a message of condolences to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad over the devastating earthquake that killed thousands in that country and in Turkey.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said today that Mr Kim in the message expressed “deep sympathy” and said that Syria under Mr Assad’s leadership would “eradicate the aftermath of the earthquake damage as soon as possible.”

North Korean state media haven’t mentioned any statements by Mr Kim toward Turkey, which sent thousands of troops to South Korea to fight under US-led UN forces as they repelled a North Korea invasion during the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea and Syria are the only nations other than Russia to recognise the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, two Russian-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, as they align with Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

ICYMI: Video shows devastation as third quake hits country in 24 hours

03:25 , Stuti Mishra

Three British nationals missing after devastating Turkey earthquake

02:30 , Joe Middleton

Three British nationals are missing following the devastating earthquake that struck south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border, the foreign secretary said this afternoon.

Making a statement in the Commons, James Cleverly said: “As of this morning, we know that three British nationals are missing and the Foreign Office’s Crisis Response Hub is working to support the at least 35 British nationals who have been directly affected by these earthquakes.

“We assess that the likelihood of large-scale British casualties remains low.”

Three British nationals missing after devastating Turkey earthquake

Aid to quake-hit Syria slowed by sanctions, war's divisions

01:30 , Joe Middleton

Even before Monday’s devastating earthquake, getting aid to all parts of war-battered Syria was fraught with daunting political and logistical challenges.

Those hurdles have only multiplied in the wake of the disaster that has killed thousands in Turkey and Syria and brought down thousands of buildings.

Damage to roads and other infrastructure in southern Turkey has stalled aid from reaching northern Syria, an area already devastated by 12 years of conflict.

Aid to quake-hit Syria slowed by sanctions, war's divisions

Moment building collapses as 7.8-magnitude earthquake hits Turkey and Syria

00:30 , Joe Middleton

Why do earthquakes happen?

Tuesday 7 February 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton

Turkey is reeling after being hit by two powerful earthquakes in quick succession on Monday morning.

The first, the worst to strike the country since the Erzincan quake of 1939, measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and struck near Gaziantep in the southeast of Turkey, killing more than 1,300 people in the region and neighbouring Syria, with the impact felt as far away as Cairo, Egypt, and Italy bracing for a possible tsunami.

The second, measuring 7.5, hit Ekinozu, around 100 miles north of the first, endangering rescue workers striving to save people trapped under rubble by the first blow.

Why do earthquakes happen?

Miracle baby born in Turkey earthquake rubble as mother trapped during labour dies

Tuesday 7 February 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton

A newborn girl has been rescued from under a collapsed building in Syria, with its mother having given birth while buried under the rubble in the wake of the devastating earthquakes that struck the country and Turkey.

The baby was found buried under the debris with her umbilical cord still connected to her mother, who was found dead.

Footage shared online shows rescuers lifting the dust-choked newborn to safety as they scale the mounting debris of buildings crumbled by a devastating earthquake.

Miracle baby born in Turkey earthquake rubble as mother trapped during labour dies

Heartbreaking photos show father clutching hand of dead daughter trapped in Turkey earthquake rubble

Tuesday 7 February 2023 22:00 , Joe Middleton

A heartbreaking photo from a city in Turkey decimated by two devastating earthquakes shows a father holding the hand of his dead 15-year-old daughter trapped beneath the rubble.

The striking image depicts the sorrow that will be felt by thousands of families who lost loved ones in Monday’s quake, with fears up to 20,000 may have been killed in Turkey and Syria.

Hunched amidst the rubble in Kahramanmaras, Mescut Hancer is pictured holding the hand of his daughter 15-year-old Irmak – her pale fingers visible through the slabs of concrete and broken bricks that once formed the apartment block where the family lived.

Eleanor Noyce reports.

Heartbreaking photos show father clutching hand of dead daughter following quakes

Map of Turkey shows areas affected by huge earthquakes as death toll tops 5,000

Tuesday 7 February 2023 21:38 , Joe Middleton

Another earthquake rocked Turkey on Tuesday morning after two devastating tremors the day before killed thousands of people.

It struck north of the city of Adiyama at around 11.30am, just over 24 hours after a 7.8 magnitude tremor wreaked havoc in the worst earthquake to hit the country in more than 20 years.

Dozens of smaller aftershocks followed the initial tremor, with the combined death toll in Turkey and neighbouring Syria topping 5,000.

Which parts of Turkey were hit by earthquakes?

Before and after pictures show scale of devastation caused by Turkey earthquake

Tuesday 7 February 2023 21:00 , Joe Middleton

A series of earthquakes and aftershocks striking the border region between southeast Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday is feared to have killed 20,000 people.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake was centred in Kahramanmaras province, near the major Turkish cities of Gaziantep and Adana.

Powerful aftershocks continued to hit as far away as northern Iraq into the early afternoon on Monday, with another major tremor reaching magnitudes exceeding 7 recorded in central Turkey.

The deadliest earthquake to hit Turkey since 1999, the devastation is immense, while the search for survivors has been impeded by sub-zero temperatures, decimated buildings and unstable structures.

Before and after pictures reveal the true scale of the devastation.

Eleanor Noyce has the details.

Before and after pictures show scale of devastation caused by Turkey earthquake

Turkey earthquake: Video shows devastation as third quake hits country in 24 hours

Tuesday 7 February 2023 20:30 , Joe Middleton

Rishi Sunak pledges ‘UK’s steadfast support’ to Recep Tayyip Erdogan after earthquake

Tuesday 7 February 2023 20:19 , Joe Middleton

Rishi Sunak “pledged the UK’s steadfast support” to Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a phone call following a devastating earthquake affecting the Turkish president’s country and neighbouring Syria, No 10 said.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this afternoon, following the devastating earthquakes which struck Turkiye (Turkey) and Syria.

“He expressed his deep condolences for the tragic loss of life and pledged the UK’s steadfast support.

“The Prime Minister confirmed that a 77-strong British search and rescue team arrived in Gaziantep today with specialist equipment and dogs, in response to a request from the Turkish government, and will immediately start work assisting with the rescue effort.

“President Erdogan thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s solidarity in response to this tragedy and welcomed international search and rescue and medical support for the initial emergency response.

“The Prime Minister also noted the deeply concerning humanitarian situation over the border in north-west Syria, where Turkiye plays an important co-ordinating role, and set out how the UK has increased support to aid organisations and emergency responders.”

PA

The UK has ‘swarmed to donate’ to Turkey as worldwide appeals surpass £750,000

Tuesday 7 February 2023 19:30 , Joe Middleton

Turkish people have applauded the reaction of those living in the UK who “swarmed” to donate thousands of pounds and hundreds of boxes of humanitarian aid in the days after a devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

A spokesman for the British Turkish Association, based in Luton, said the reaction of “all communities” in London has been “emotional” as the death toll in Turkey surpasses 5,000 and the worldwide donation amount on fundraising site JustGiving exceeded £750,000 in one day.

Atilla Ustun, 55, also a chairman of the Luton-Turkish Community Association, spoke to the PA news agency from Heathrow as he helped load a Turkish Airlines cargo plane with more than 300 boxes of donated clothing, medical supplies and aid for babies – just a day’s worth of contributions.

The UK has ‘swarmed to donate’ to Turkey as worldwide appeals surpass £750,000

Turkey earthquake: Video shows devastation as third quake hits country in 24 hours

Tuesday 7 February 2023 19:00 , Joe Middleton

Plane carrying 77 UK search and rescue specialists lands in Gaziantep, south-east Turkey

Tuesday 7 February 2023 18:15 , Joe Middleton

A plane carrying 77 UK search and rescue specialists, state-of-the-art equipment and four search dogs has landed in Gaziantep in south-east Turkey, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said.

The team, made up of firefighters and staff from 14 fire and rescue services from across the country, will cut their way into buildings and help locate survivors in the rubble of the earthquakes.

Their specialist equipment includes seismic listening devices, concrete cutting and breaking equipment and propping and shoring tools.

An emergency medical team was also on the flight and will conduct a full assessment of the situation on the ground, according to the FCDO.

Fire at Turkey‘s Iskenderun Port extinguished, say authorities

Tuesday 7 February 2023 17:53 , Joe Middleton

A fire that engulfed hundreds of shipping containers at Turkey‘s Iskenderun Port after massive earthquakes in the region have been extinguished, the defence ministry said today.

Turkey‘s maritime authority said on Monday that the port, located on the Mediterranean coast in the southern province of Hatay, was damaged due to the earthquake that struck Turkey and neighbouring Syria.

Drone footage showed fierce flames blackening hundreds of containers on the dock, with water jets from a fire truck dwarfed by the scale of the blaze that broke out on Monday. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky.

Turkish shipping agency Tribeca said earlier today some cargo areas of Limak port at the Iskenderun complex were still on fire.

The blaze led to the shutdown of all operations at the terminal until further notice and forced freight liners to divert vessels to other ports.

The defence ministry said later today the fire was put out thanks to efforts by military helicopters and planes after Monday’s efforts to douse the flames from offshore failed.

Leading global container shipping group AP Moller Maersk said there had been significant damage to logistics and transport infrastructure around the earthquake epicentre, including at the Port of Iskenderun.

It said it was looking to re-route ships as needed, given the “severe structural damage, leading to a complete stop of all operations until further notice”.

Additional reporting by Reuters

Death toll soars above 6,000

Tuesday 7 February 2023 17:27 , Joe Middleton

The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that has devastated parts of Turkey and Syria has soared to above 6,000.

Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into the two countries today as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug through the remains of buildings flattened by the quake.

Monday’s quake cut a swath of destruction that stretched hundreds of miles across south-eastern Turkey and neighbouring Syria, toppling thousands of buildings and trapping people under the rubble.

Doctor says bodies ‘everywhere' in collapsed Iskenderun hospital

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:47 , Joe Middleton

Rescue teams and survivors peered through the remains of an Iskenderun hospital on Tuesday, searching for signs of life a day after a major earthquake struck Turkey and neighbouring Syria.

One of the hospital’s surviving physicians, who identified himself only as Dr Deveci, said he found the scene at his workplace hard to witness.

“I’m devastated. I see bodies inside, everywhere. Although I’m used to seeing bodies because of my expertise, it’s very difficult for me,” he said.

Much of Iskenderun, a port city located in Turkey‘s southern Hatay province, lay in ruins after the magnitude 7.8 quake hit just after 4am on Monday. More than 1,200 buildings were destroyed in Hatay alone.

“A doctor said there are about 15 people here, including the patients,” taxi driver Kerim Sahin said as he looked for a colleague in one part of the hospital.

“At the moment, they’re all trapped inside. Nobody can go near the building, only one cabinet is supporting the third floor.”

A view of the intensive care unit of the Iskenderun collapsed state hospital (REUTERS)
A view of the intensive care unit of the Iskenderun collapsed state hospital (REUTERS)

Additional reporting by Reuters

Four crew members from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service join search and rescue

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:25 , Joe Middleton

Four crew members from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) have arrived in Turkey to join a UK team of search and rescue specialists.

Working as part of the UK International Search and Rescue Team (UK-ISAR), Greater Manchester firefighters have previously been deployed to earthquakes in Haiti and Japan.

Assistant chief fire officer Barry Moore said: “Our thoughts go out to the many thousands across Turkey and Syria who have tragically lost loved ones and livelihoods in these earthquakes, and to the emergency responders working to locate and rescue survivors.

“We know that those rescue efforts are taking place in challenging winter conditions, compounding what is already a very difficult operation.

“Four of our firefighters have now arrived in Turkey and will rapidly be deployed to assist search and rescue operations in the affected areas.

“As part of the UK-ISAR team, they are trained in the use of specialist skills and equipment and ready to respond to any humanitarian disaster that takes place anywhere in the world.”

‘Dad is here’ Moment father embraces child after rescuers pull her out from rubble in earthquake aftermath

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:58 , Joe Middleton

Miracle baby born in Turkey earthquake rubble as mother trapped during labour dies

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:34 , Joe Middleton

A baby rescued from under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Syria lost its mother moments after birth.

Footage shared online shows rescuers lifting the dust-choked newborn to safety as they scale the mounting debris of buildings crumbled by a devastating earthquake.

Reports say the child’s mother went into labour as the magnitude 7.8 quake hit on Monday. She tragically did not survive the impact of the tremor.

Emily Atkinson reports on this heartbreaking story.

Miracle baby born in Turkey earthquake rubble as mother trapped during labour dies

Aid flows from Turkey to northwest Syria temporarily stopped, say UN

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:26 , Joe Middleton

Aid flows from Turkey to northwest Syria have temporarily stopped due to the fallout of a devastating earthquake, a UN spokesperson said today.

The cross-border aid operation overseen by the United Nations since 2014 has been crucial to Syrians who fled President Bashar al-Assad’s rule during the conflict, bypassing territory he controls.

There was no clear picture of when the aid - upon which some 4 million people depend - would resume, Madevi Sun-Suon, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), told Reuters.

“Some roads are broken, some are inaccessible. There are logistical issues that need to be worked through,” she said.

“We are exploring all avenues to reach people in need,” she said.

‘They’re saying help us, but nobody is coming’: The race to save trapped victims of Turkey’s earthquake

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:13 , Joe Middleton

Rescue teams are battling rain, snow and falling temperatures – sometimes digging with their bare hands through rubble – in a race against time to find survivors of the devastating earthquakes that have killed thousands across Turkey and Syria.

Search teams from all over the world, as well as almost 25,000 rescue workers from Turkey, have spread out across the hundreds of miles of the country that have been flattened by the tremors – with thousands of buildings having collapsed.

The same is true of the regions across Syria, both government-held regions and those overseen by opposition forces with the country in a civil war that has lasted more than a decade.

Chris Stevenson reports.

The race to save victims trapped by Turkey and Syria earthquakes

Turkey: Moment journalist abandons live broadcast to carry girl to safety after earthquake

Tuesday 7 February 2023 14:50 , Joe Middleton

Earthquake survivors send voice notes from under the rubble

Tuesday 7 February 2023 14:05 , Liam James

Survivors are sending voice notes on their phones from under the rubble of buildings collapsed by the earthquake in Turkey.

Turkish journalist Ibrahim Haskologlu, based in Istanbul, told the BBC: “People are still under the buildings, they need help.”

He said he was receiving voice notes, videos and live locations from trapped people.

They are telling us where they are and “we can’t do anything,” Mr Haskologlu said.

A man walks down the rubble of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, Turkey (AFP/Getty)
A man walks down the rubble of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, Turkey (AFP/Getty)
A man walks across the rubble of collapsed building towards a building still standing in Kahramanmaras (AFP/Getty)
A man walks across the rubble of collapsed building towards a building still standing in Kahramanmaras (AFP/Getty)
Vehicles are crushed under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Kahramanmaras (AFP/Getty)
Vehicles are crushed under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Kahramanmaras (AFP/Getty)