The international organization White Helmets, known for its volunteer work in the Syrian conflict, has updated the death toll in the northwest of the country to 1,020. The total death toll in Syria is, as of Tuesday afternoon, at least 1,832.
At least 3,849 people were injured, 1,449 in Syrian government-controlled areas and 2,400 in opposition-held northwestern Syria.
On the Turkish side, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca revealed at a press conference that the death toll now stands at 5,434 and at least 31,777 people were injured. In total, in both countries, at least 35,626 people were injured.
The United Nations Organization (UN) announced an initial aid of 25 million dollars (23.3 million euros) for humanitarian support to the victims of the earthquake. The funds come from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, which the organization routinely uses to act immediately in crises like this.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said 224 buildings in northwestern Syria had been destroyed and at least 325 damaged, including food aid warehouses.
The earthquake on Monday was one of the strongest in 100 years, along with the one that struck Erzincan, in eastern Turkey, on December 26, 1939, also with a magnitude of 7.8. This 1939 earthquake left more than 32,000 dead and caused a tsunami in the Black Sea, located about 160 kilometers from the epicenter.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared national mourning for seven days and, according to the decree published this Monday by the Government, the flags will be lowered at half mast until Sunday sunset.
Source: TSF
