The death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria exceeds 47,000

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – The death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6 continues to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble of demolished buildings. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the already devastated Hatay province this week, destroying or destroying more buildings, exacerbating the devastation.

Here’s a look at key developments on Thursday in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The death toll is 47,000

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu raised the death toll in Turkey from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake to 43,556.

The total death toll in Turkey and Syria now stands at 47,244.

In an interview with state broadcaster TRT late on Wednesday, Soylu said teams were searching two buildings in hard-hit Hatay province for more bodies. He said searches elsewhere were over.

Meanwhile, Murat Corum, Turkey’s environment and urbanization minister, said at least 164,000 buildings had either collapsed or were so badly damaged that they had to be demolished.

Syrians shelter in tents and cars

The local civil defense in northwest Syria, known locally as the White Helmets, said Thursday that thousands of children and tens of thousands of families had taken refuge in cars and tents “for fear of a repeat of the earthquake.”

In government-controlled Syria, the first aid plane from Bahrain landed in Damascus. The Gulf kingdom is among several Arab states that have tried in recent years to improve relations with President Bashar al-Assad, after it ostracized him in 2011 over his brutal crackdown on protesters.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt, two major US allies in the region, have also provided aid.

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