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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Sophie Collins

Devastation continues as earthquake death toll in Turkey and Syria nears 5,000

Rescue teams in Turkey and Syria worked through the night searching for survivors after several earthquakes struck, killing thousands.

It is understood that the death toll has now risen above 4,800 as the devastation continues following strong tremors measuring 7.8 magnitude at the Turkey-Syria border.

According to disaster response teams, more than 5,600 buildings have collapsed across the affected areas in both countries.

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Those which caused the most destruction and death were multi-storey apartment blocks that housed sleeping residents as the first earthquake hit.

Images have surfaced of survivors working through the night, searching the ruins of and trying to save anyone who became trapped inside when the first quake struck early on Sunday, February 6.

The Latest figures released by Turkey's relief agency, AFAD, estimated the death toll to now be at 3,381, which brings the confirmed total in both Turkey and Syria to 4,890.

Some of the worst effects of the natural disaster were seen near the epicentre of the earthquake - between Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep, which is home to around two million people.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, entire housing blocks lie in ruins as snow falls.

Aftershocks continue to hit the area, and many are terrified and exhausted after spending the night outdoors but are too afraid to go home for fear of a similar fate to their neighbours.

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