At least 3,381 people were killed and 20,426 injured in 10 provinces in southeast Turkey as a result of two strong earthquakes on Monday. The Syrian government has not released official information about casualties, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 1,597 people were killed and 2,000 injured.
A delegation of the IDF, Defense Ministry, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs landed in Turkey at 6 AM Tuesday to assist in the rescue efforts in places that were impacted by the strong earthquakes. The Israeli delegation is headed by the commander of the National Rescue Unit, Lt. Col. (Res.) Golan Vach, and includes about 150 reserve and enlisted soldiers who will be joined by fire and rescue forces. The IDF is also preparing to send a field hospital to the disaster-stricken country.
SOHR called on Turkish authorities to receive injured Syrian people in hospitals in Turkey and send Turkish medical teams to the disaster-stricken areas.
According to WAFA, an Iranian plane arrived at Damascus International Airport at dawn on Tuesday, carrying relief aid for those affected by the earthquake that hit the country. Two Iraqi planes carrying relief aid arrived at Damascus International Airport Monday night.
Orhan Tatar, the risk reduction general manager of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, said the two major quakes were followed by 285 aftershocks. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said more than 5,600 buildings were destroyed in southeastern Turkey, and 224 buildings in northwestern Syria.
Tatar said more than 24,000 personnel are conducting search and rescue operations in the affected area which stretches to about 42,500 square miles.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey was shaken by the “biggest disaster” since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake when 32,968 Turkish citizens perished. The country will observe seven days of national mourning for the victims of Monday’s quakes.
