Death Toll From Türkiye's Earthquakes Soar As Rescue Workers Search For Survivors

Strait Talk

Nearly twenty thousand rescue workers are searching for survivors one day after a pair of powerful earthquakes rocked southern Türkiye. Battling rain, freezing temperatures and hundreds of aftershocks across 10 provinces, rescuers are scrambling to find those trapped under rubble. The death toll has been rising every hour, passing more than 3,000 by Tuesday morning. The first international rescue teams have arrived in Türkiye, following aid pledges from several dozen countries. Monday's magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes destroyed several thousand buildings, with Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya and Hatay among the hardest hit areas. Türkiye's Vice President Fuat Oktay says nearly 350,000 earthquake victims are being housed in dormitories, universities and shelters. Rescue workers have so far managed to save several thousand people, some who were able to signal for help via social media. Guests: Bahia Zrikem Policy Manager at Norwegian Refugee Council Yakzan Shishakly Co-Founder of Maram Foundation Stephen Hicks Seismologist at University College London