The World Health Organization has warned that the death toll from a powerful earthquake in south-eastern Turkey, on the border with Syria, might increase by a factor of eight.
The death toll, which already exceeds 3,400 people, has risen swiftly since the first quake struck early Monday morning.
Twelve hours later, a second large earthquake struck further north.
In frigid and icy weather, rescuers have been digging through piles of rubble to discover survivors.
Countries from around the world are contributing to rescue attempts by sending teams of specialists, sniffer dogs, and equipment.
The earthquake occurred at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9 kilometers (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep, according to the US Geological Survey.
According to seismologists, the initial earthquake was among the largest ever recorded in Turkey. According to survivors, it took two minutes for the shaking to cease.
The second earthquake, which was generated by the first, had a magnitude of 7.5, and its epicenter was in the Elbistan region of the province of Kahramanmaras.
Numerous aftershocks continue to be felt throughout the region.
On Monday, the number of fatalities and injuries in both Turkey and Syria grew rapidly.
The WHO has cautioned that this number could climb by a factor of eight as additional victims are discovered in the rubble.
“We always see the same thing with earthquakes, regrettably, which is that the initial reports of the numbers of people who have died or who have been injured will climb pretty considerably in the week that follows,” the WHO’s senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, told AFP.
Ms. Smallwood cautioned that the icy conditions may leave many without shelter, increasing the hazards.
Many of the victims are located in war-ravaged northern Syria, where millions of people inhabit refugee camps on both sides of the Turkish border. In rebel-held regions, dozens of casualties have been recorded.
Thousands of buildings in both nations have collapsed, and numerous films capture the moment when onlookers fled for cover. Numerous 12-story buildings have been leveled, highways have been wrecked, and there are enormous heaps of rubble as far as the eye can reach.
Gaziantep Castle, which had stood for more than 2,000 years, was among the structures that were demolished.
Anna Foster reported from the Turkish city of Osmaniye, near the epicenter, on a horrific scene.
“Rescue attempts are being hampered by the torrential rain that is falling. Tonight there is no electricity in the city.
Our correspondent stated, “We are still experiencing frequent aftershocks, and there are still concerns that other buildings may fall.
Additionally, Turkey’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed, and videos of massive fires in southern Turkey have emerged. Social media users asserted that they were caused by gas pipeline damage.
The Turkish energy minister, Fatih Donmez, admitted that the infrastructure had been severely damaged, but did not mention the explosions.
Turkey is located in one of the most active earthquake zones in the globe.
In 1999, a catastrophic earthquake in the northwest killed more than 17,000 people. 33,000 people died in Erzincan, Turkey’s eastern province, in 1939’s greatest earthquake.
Melisa Salman, a resident of Kahramanmaras, stated that living in an earthquake-prone area made her accustomed to “being rattled,” but that Monday’s earthquake was “the first time we have ever experienced something like that.”
She stated, “We felt it was the end of the world.”
The Turkish Red Crescent has requested blood donations from individuals, and the organization’s president, Kerem Knk, said on Twitter that additional blood and medical supplies are being dispatched to the impacted region.
Following an international plea for assistance, 45 countries have pledged support, according to Turkish President Erdogan.
Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres has urged for a worldwide response to the situation, stating that many families affected by the tragedy are “already in desperate need of humanitarian relief in difficult-to-access locations.”
The European Union is dispatching search and rescue teams to Turkey. While rescuers from the Netherlands and Romania have already arrived. The United Kingdom has pledged to deploy 76 specialists, rescue dogs, and equipment.
France, Germany, Israel, and the United States have also offered assistance. Iran and Russian President Vladimir Putin have both pledged assistance to Turkey and Syria.
Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir, and Kilis, according to Turkey’s interior minister Suleyman Soylu, were among the 10 cities hit by the original quake.
These cities have suspended classes for at least one week.
A member of the White Helmets rescue organization, which operates in rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria, fought back tears as he described the destruction in Sarmada, close to the Turkish border.
“Many structures in various cities and villages in northwestern Syria have collapsed,” he reported.
“Many relatives are still buried beneath the rubble. We are attempting to save them, but it is a difficult effort”.
We require action from the international community, assistance, and support. Now, northwestern Syria is a disaster zone “he added.
The earthquake was so violent that it was felt in Cyprus, Lebanon, and Israel.
