- 7 Feb 2023 - 20:47(20:47 GMT)
Syrian boy films himself stuck under rubble
A Syrian boy has filmed himself trapped under rubble caused by Monday’s earthquakes.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 20:26(20:26 GMT)
Road to Syria-Turkey border crossing damaged, stifling aid efforts
Shipments of life-saving aid going through the sole border crossing from Turkey into Syria have been disrupted by Monday’s earthquakes, the UN says.
Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said the Bab al-Hawa crossing itself is “actually intact”.
“However, the road that is leading to the crossing has been damaged, and that’s temporarily disrupted our ability to fully use it,” Dujarric said.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 20:05(20:05 GMT)
Syrian family pulled from rubble after 40 hours
Watch the incredible moment a Syrian family is pulled out of the rubble alive after 40 hours.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:58(19:58 GMT)
Saudi Arabia pledges quake relief to Syria, Turkey
Saudi Arabia has ordered the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre “to provide health, shelter, food and logistical assistance” to Syria and Turkey, the official SPA news agency said.
It will also launch a public donation campaign for quake victims in both countries, SPA added.
The oil-rich Gulf kingdom has backed groups opposed to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad during the war, and some of Syria’s exiled opposition figures are based in Riyadh.
But in recent years, Saudi Arabia has softened its stance against al-Assad and senior Syrian officials have said that efforts were under way to improve ties.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:43(19:43 GMT)
Scholz promises more support for Turkey
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan further comprehensive support in dealing with the earthquake disaster, a spokesman for the German government said after the two leaders spoke on the phone on Tuesday.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:38(19:38 GMT)
Iskenderun Port heavily damaged following blaze
Operations have been halted at Iskenderun Port in the Turkish province of Hatay, which has been heavily damaged by a fire that broke out following Monday’s deadly quakes.
Officials say the blaze has since been extinguished.
A major fire was filmed at Iskenderun Port in Turkey's Hatay province on Tuesday, following the deadly earthquakes that struck.
The fire was put out but officials say the port was heavily damaged ⤵️
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/Y1JQ0iCyvI pic.twitter.com/JxNPpVTeZt
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 7, 2023
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:29(19:29 GMT)
USAID teams to arrive in Turkey Wednesday to boost search and rescue efforts
Two US Agency for International Development (USAID) teams will arrive Wednesday morning in Turkey and will head to the southeastern province of Adiyaman to focus on urban search and rescue.
USAID’s Disaster Assistance response team leader for the earthquake response, Stephen Allen, told reporters on Tuesday the teams will be about 80 people each and also bring 12 dogs and 170,000 pounds of specialised tools and equipment, including for triage and concrete breaking.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:20(19:20 GMT)
Children sleeping in cars as earthquake relief hindered by weather
Children are sleeping in cars as freezing conditions continue to hinder aid to Turkey and Syria, Save the Children said in a statement.
Freezing temperatures and damaged roads and airports are making it difficult for aid agencies to reach thousands of children and their families in desperate need of assistance following Monday’s devastating earthquakes, the charity 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,” said Kathryn Achilles, advocacy media and communications director for Save the Children Syria.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:06(19:06 GMT)
Earthquake death toll passes 7,000
The death toll from the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria is now at least 7,266.
Syria’s volunteer organisation the White Helmets, also known as Syria Civil Defence, said the death toll in northwest Syria was 1,020 in opposition-held areas.
Syrian state media reported that at least 812 people are dead in government-controlled areas, bringing Syria’s total death toll to at least 1,832.
Turkish health minister Fahrettin Koca said in a news conference on Tuesday that the death toll in Turkey is now 5,434.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 19:03(19:03 GMT)
King Charles sends message to Erdogan
The UK’s King Charles has told President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that his “thoughts and special prayers” are with all those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey.
“My wife and I have been most shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the devastating earthquakes in South East Turkiye [Turkey],” he said.
“Our thoughts and special prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this appalling natural disaster, whether through injury or the destruction of their property, and also with the emergency services and those assisting in the rescue efforts.”
The King has sent a message following the recent earthquakes.
🔗Head to our website to read the message in full: https://t.co/3eyMtIJdsE pic.twitter.com/MV1xeK5y0a
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 7, 2023
- 7 Feb 2023 - 18:37(18:37 GMT)
UK search and rescue team lands in Gaziantep
A plane carrying 77 UK search and rescue specialists, state-of-the-art equipment and four search dogs has landed in Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says.
The team is made up of firefighters and staff from 14 fire and rescue services from across the country, the department said.
Their equipment includes seismic listening devices, concrete cutting and breaking equipment, and tools to prop and shore up debris.
The UK is sending a team of 77 search and rescue specialists, state-of-the-art equipment and search dogs to Türkiye. This is vital support that will help locate survivors of the earthquakes.
We are quickly providing the assistance Türkiye has asked for. pic.twitter.com/vAnMqmFJOY
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 7, 2023
- 7 Feb 2023 - 18:27(18:27 GMT)
Palestinian children hold vigil in Gaza Strip for earthquake victims
- 7 Feb 2023 - 18:16(18:16 GMT)
Deutsche Telekom: Calls between Germany, Turkey, Syria free for week
Deutsche Telekom has said it was making all calls from its network between Germany, Turkey and Syria free for a week as part of its response to the earthquake, adding that Telekom and Congstar customers in Turkey and Syria would be able to roam for free.
Germany is home to more than three million ethnic Turks, the world’s largest Turkish diaspora population, and about a million refugees from the Syrian war.
The offer will run retroactively from midnight on February 6 until February 15, the company said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it would donate $1.1m in aid.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 18:05(18:05 GMT)
Plane tickets offered an minimum cost to allow Turkish quake survivors to leave
Turkey’s government is offering low-cost plane tickets so people in areas devastated by Monday’s earthquakes can leave. It is worried about more buildings falling down as rescue crews search for survivors. Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith reports from one of Turkey’s hardest-hit areas.
Rescue teams in Turkey and Syria continue to search for survivors after Monday's deadly earthquakes and aftershocks.
Al Jazeera’s @JazeeraBernard reports from one of Turkey’s hardest-hit areas ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ft64fiBJaM
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 7, 2023
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:56(17:56 GMT)
Syrian foreign minister urges European states to send aid despite sanctions
Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad has asked European countries to send aid after the deadly earthquake, saying that sanctions are no excuse not to, he told Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV on Tuesday.
Syrian officials have long argued that Western sanctions have harmed reconstruction efforts in areas where the 12-year conflict has subsided.
The US and European nations have said that sanctions aim to pressure the Syrian government into a political process that could end the conflict.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:44(17:44 GMT)
Turkish football club confirms goalkeeper died in earthquake
Second-tier Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor has confirmed on Twitter that their goalkeeper Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan died in the earthquake.
Başımız sağ olsun!
Kalecimiz Ahmet Eyüp Türkaslan, meydana gelen depremde göçük altında kalarak, hayatını kaybetmiştir. Allah rahmet eylesin, mekanı cennet olsun.
Seni unutmayacağız güzel insan.😢 pic.twitter.com/15yjH9Sa1H— Yeni Malatyaspor (@YMSkulubu) February 7, 2023
Translation: Condolences to all of us! Our goalkeeper, Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, lost his life after being stuck under the rubble in the earthquake. Rest in peace. We will not forget you, beautiful soul.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:37(17:37 GMT)
Canada to send $7.5m in earthquake relief in initial response
Canada is sending 10 million Canadian dollars ($7.5m US) in aid to help with the response to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.
After yesterday’s devastating earthquakes, we’re providing $10 million in immediate aid to the people of Türkiye and Syria – and we’ll continue to provide support as the situation evolves. Our partners are already distributing food, emergency fuel, and shelter items.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 7, 2023
Canada is conducting a “needs assessment” to determine the next steps in its response, International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said in Ottawa.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:27(17:27 GMT)
Earthquake death toll passes 6,000
The death toll from Monday’s quake has climbed to 4,544 in Turkey, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The number of those killed in Syria is close to 1,832. More than 1,020 people have been killed in opposition-held areas, according to the White Helmets, also known as Syria Civil Defence. In government-controlled areas, the death toll is 812, according to the state news agency SANA.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:17(17:17 GMT)
Three UK citizens missing after earthquakes strike Syria, Turkey
Three British nationals are missing after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says.
“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,” Cleverly said, addressing lawmakers in parliament in London.
“We assess that the likelihood of large-scale British casualties remains low,” he said.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:13(17:13 GMT)
International Rescue Committee warns of ‘catastrophic humanitarian needs’
The International Rescue Committee is warning of “catastrophic humanitarian needs” in Syria and Turkey as it appeals for funds and lifesaving support for those affected “before it is too late”.
“With the response in its infancy the need for humanitarian aid is stark,” Tanya Evans, the aid group’s Syria director, said in a statement. “Roads and infrastructure, like bridges, have been damaged meaning it will likely prove challenging to get supplies to those who need it most.”
“Even before the earthquake, humanitarian access was constrained in northwest Syria, with most aid coming in via one crossing-point with Türkiye,” she said. “In this time of increased need it is critical that the levels of aid crossing also increase at pace too.”
The International Rescue Committee has been working in Syria since 2012 and responding to needs in northern Syria.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 17:04(17:04 GMT)
Fire at Iskenderun Port on Mediterranean extinguished
The fire at Iskenderun Port on the Mediterranean Sea has been extinguished, Reuters reports, citing the Turkish Ministry of National Defence.
Containers at the port had caught fire after Monday’s earthquakes, and thick black smoke could be seen rising over the port.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 16:51(16:51 GMT)
UNESCO ready to assist quake-damaged heritage in Turkey, Syria
UNESCO, the UN’s cultural agency, says it is ready to provide assistance after two sites on its world heritage list in Syria and Turkey sustained damage in Monday’s earthquakes.
The old city of Aleppo in northern Syria and the fortress in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakır have been damaged. UNESCO says at least three other world heritage sites could also be affected, including the famous archaeological site at Mount Nemrut.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 16:43(16:43 GMT)
WHO warns quake casualties could exceed 20,000
As the scale of the devastation from the magnitude 7.8 and 7.6 tremors continues to unfold, the World Health Organization warns the number of casualties could exceed 20,000.
- 7 Feb 2023 - 16:38(16:38 GMT)
Challenges faced by rescuers
Belit Tasdemir, the UN liaison officer for Turkey’s AKUT Search and Rescue Association, says three major factors are making rescue efforts in southeastern Turkey difficult.
“This earthquake hit a very wide geographical region, which makes rescue efforts very challenging because transportation and roads are an issue,” he told Al Jazeera from Adana.
“There has been a significant amount of significant aftershocks after the main event, which means that this is a very rare occasion in earthquake history where such a wide area of a geographical region has been affected by hundreds and hundreds of aftershocks in the course of 24 hours,” he said.
Tasdemir added that a cold snap “makes it more challenging for people under the rubble to survive until the rescuers can reach them”.
“This has adverse effects on rescuers themselves, working under freezing conditions, especially through the night,” he said. “This also has an impact on the equipment that we use. Any devices that we use that run on battery power are all very sensitive to the cold.”
- 7 Feb 2023 - 16:21(16:21 GMT)
First tanker set to load Iraqi oil at Turkey’s Ceyhan port post-quake
The first tanker expected to load at Turkey’s major oil export hub in Ceyhan since Monday’s earthquakes has been given the all-clear to berth, the Reuters news agency reports.
The Vallesina tanker was shown at a jetty at the Botas Ceyhan terminal on Tuesday evening local time, based on Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking. A trading source said the vessel was given approval to load Iraqi crude from storage.
Turkey-Syria earthquake updates: Death toll passes 7,000
All the updates from February 7 as they happened.
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Turkey-Syria earthquakes on Tuesday, February 7:
- The death toll from Monday’s earthquake disaster that struck Turkey and Syria tops 7,000.
- Rescuers in Turkey’s Hatay save a four-year-old girl from the rubble of a collapsed building 33 hours after the devastating earthquake.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announces a three-month state of emergency across 10 provinces, as aid agencies grapple with complicated logistics of sending emergency assistance to war-hit Syria.
- Dozens of countries promise to help search and rescue operations, which are being hampered by cold and snow.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies