Live
Audio Only
According to authorities, the death toll in Syria stands at 2 662, with another 4 985 injured.
On Wednesday, Syrian Health Minister Hasan Muhammad al-Ghabash called on the international community to support the country following last Monday's devastating earthquakes.
RELATED:
Türkiye & Syria: the Death Toll From Earthquakes Exceeds 11,200
"My message here is from the site of the event to all the countries of the world to provide whatever can be provided in terms of equipment and aid to Syria," al-Ghabash said from Aleppo.
According to state news agency SANA, the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Tartus and Hama, in the country's west and northwest, were the hardest hit.
The Minister extended his gratitude to "all those who contributed to helping those affected by the earthquake" and also said he hopes "this flow will continue and [will] not be momentary."
Since 2006 the OI has worked at the site of Zincirli Höyük located close to the epicenter of the first earthquake to hit Turkey and Syria. There is a fundraiser (https://t.co/NT463XW56K) to directly help people connected to the excavation and their families recover and rebuild. pic.twitter.com/W0nsQ69zLo
— Oriental Institute (@orientalinst) February 8, 2023
"People are traumatized, aid is too little to meet their needs and the situation is really painful," Sara, a Syrian journalist, told the Press TV website, calling for more rescuers and support, as "it's freezing cold here, and I can't imagine how people will survive under the rubble without food and water for days."
The Syrian Health Minister denounced that U.S. sanctions are worsening the current situation in the Middle Eastern country. Under the sanctions, the delivery of aid is hindered. "We call on all organizations to intervene immediately to provide all necessary medical aid," the Minister said.
26-year-old medicine student Ghofran, from the Syrian port city of Latakia, told the website, "People are traumatized and the U.S. sanctions are only making things worse." People are "watching their loved ones die for lack of aid and equipment."
On Monday, two strong earthquakes measuring 7.8 and 7.6 on the Richter scale shook southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria. Several strong aftershocks followed with devastating consequences.
According to authorities in Syria, the death toll is 2 662, with another 4 985 injured. In Türkiye, meanwhile, the death toll stands at 9 057, with a further 52 979 wounded.
Newsletter
