Turkey, Syria earthquake: Deaths toll rises above 9,500

The death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck southern Turkey on Monday has passed 9,400 as of Tuesday evening. In Turkey, officials said that more than 6,900 died and over 37,011 were injured. In Syria, the death toll rose above 2,400. For two days and nights since the 7.8 magnitude quake an impromptu army of rescuers have worked in freezing temperatures to find those still entombed among ruins in several cities either side of the border. Officially, the death toll from the disaster now stands at 6,957 people dead in Turkey and 2,547 in Syria, bringing the total to 9,504 — But that could yet double if the worst fears of experts are realised.

Rescue and search teams are working against time in harsh winter conditions to dig survivors out of the rubble of collapsed buildings. India on Wednesday sent humanitarian aid to the quake-hit countries under 'Operation Dost'. The death toll is likely to rise considerably. Meanwhile, the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces. But residents in several damaged Turkish cities voiced anger and despair at what they said was a slow and inadequate response from the authorities to the deadliest earthquake. A fourth C17 plane of the Indian Air Force carrying relief assistance for Turkey's earthquake victims landed in Adana on Wednesday. The plane landed at 4.30 IST (local time). India had dispatched its fourth batch of aid, including 54 members of the medical team from the Indian Army as part of the country's Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief on Tuesday.