Turkey, Syria earthquake highlights: Death toll surpasses 7,000-mark amid search for more survivors

Two US Agency for International Development teams will arrive Wednesday morning in Turkey and will head to the southeastern province of Adiyaman to focus on urban search and rescue following earthquakes that killed more than 7,000 people and left a trail of destruction in Turkey and neighboring Syria, reported news agency Reuters.

Earthquake death toll rises above 7,100 in Turkey and Syria, according to latest data reported by news agency AFP.

Death toll in earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria tops 6,000 amid search for more survivors, AFP reported.

Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battled frigid cold Tuesday in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by a earthquake that killed more than 5,400 people, AFP reported.

Death toll from Monday's powerful earthquakes in southern Türkiye has climbed  to 3,703, local media reports.

India on Tuesday sent specialist search and rescue teams with dog squads, an army mobile hospital team and relief materials in four military heavy lift aircraft to Turkey, where the death toll continued to rise following Monday’s massive earthquake.

Another C-130 Hercules military aircraft carrying relief materials was set to be sent to Syria, people familiar with the matter said.

A day after a devastating earthquake tore through Turkey and northern Syria, rescue workers were still thin on the ground in Antakya, forcing residents to pick through rubble sometimes without even basic tools in a desperate hunt for survivors.

Syrians living abroad who want to help victims of the earthquake which has killed thousands of people in the region say they are worried that donations will not reach those who need it due to deep political divisions in the war-torn country, Reuters reported. 

A 14-month-old baby, who was trapped under the rubble in quake-hit Turkey's Hatay province for more than 30 hours, was rescued alive. Cradled in the arms of a rescue worker, she could be seen rushed to safety, while onlookers applaud their efforts. Watch video

India on Tuesday sent to Turkiye relief materials, a mobile hospital and specialised search and rescue teams in two C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft to help the country in the wake of the devastating earthquake and multiple aftershocks that killed over 4,000 people.

Two more flights are expected to carry more relief items, including medical supplies, soon to Turkiye while another one is set to be sent to Syria which was also hit by the earthquake on Monday, PTI reported.

At least 1,712 people were killed and thousands injured in Syria, local media reports.

“Well actually, unluckily to say that this situation is very dangerous after this devastating earthquake. It was the big one. 7.8 started in Turkey and then spread to Damascus, Syria. Many regions are badly affected. So far, in the last 5 minutes, I made some phone calls, it's more than 850 death cases and some thousands of casualties due to the earthquake", Syria's Ambassador to India Bassam Alkhatib said to ANI.

Extended family members pulled a newborn baby alive from the rubble of a home in northern Syria, after finding her still tied by her umbilical cord to her mother, who died in Monday's massive quake, a relative said, reports AFP.

The infant is the sole survivor of her immediate family, the rest of whom were all killed when the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck Syria and neighbouring Turkey flattened the family home in the rebel-held town of Jindayris, Khalil al-Suwadi said.

Leading global container shipping group AP Moller Maersk said there had been significant damage to logistics and transport infrastructure around the earthquake epicentre, including at the Port of Iskenderun.

“It’s not yet known how long recovery efforts will take and when the port can undergo a full inspection of the damage”, Maersk said. 

Turkish shipping agency Tribeca said on Tuesday some cargo areas of Limak port at the Iskenderun complex were still on fire and the terminal was closed to all operations until further notice, reports Reuters. 

UAE to allocate $100 Million for earthquake relief efforts in Syria and Turkey, reports Reuters.

The southern Turkish port of Iskenderun has suffered severe structural damage after country got jolted with multiple earthquakes. All operations are halted until further notice, container shipping firm AP Moller Maersk said on Tuesday, Reuters report.

There is no one left under the rubble in Kilis, search-and-rescue operations finalised, says authorities, reports TRT World Now

A frantic race was underway Tuesday to find more survivors and help the injured as the death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria the previous day passed 5,000. The toll is likely to climb further as freezing weather and multiple aftershocks are hampering the rescue efforts — despite international assistance, reports AP. 

Dozens of cargo containers were on fire for the second day running on Tuesday in Turkey's quake-hit southern port city of Iskenderun, local TV images showed, reports Reuters.

The blaze at the Iskenderun international port has raged since 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) Monday, when one of its containers toppled over from aftershocks following the deadly 7.8-magnitude quake, Hurriyet daily reported.

Turkish port of Iskenderun suffered sever structural damage due to earthquake, all port operations halted, reports Reuters.