"Potential to increase." The death toll from the earthquakes in Syria exceeds 2,800 dead and thousands injured

The death toll across Syria (regime and opposition-held areas) has risen to 2,802 dead and more than 5,000 injured, as a result of the earthquake that occurred at dawn on Monday. The Syrian Civil Defense indicated that the number is likely to rise a lot due to the presence of hundreds of families under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The death toll across Syria (regime and opposition-held areas) has risen to 2,802 dead and more than 5,000 injured, as a result of the earthquake that occurred at dawn on Monday.

In a statement to the media, the Syrian Minister of Health, Hassan Al-Ghobash, stated that "the number of earthquake victims rose to 1,262 deaths and 2,285 injuries, in an indefinite toll."

For its part, the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) said in a statement that the death toll from the earthquake in northwestern Syria rose to more than 1,540 deaths and 2,750 injuries.

He pointed out that the number is likely to rise a lot due to the presence of hundreds of families under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The Civil Defense reported that the earthquake completely destroyed 375 buildings and 1,200 partially, in addition to thousands of buildings that were cracked.

At dawn on Monday, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria, followed by another hours later with a magnitude of 7.6 and dozens of aftershocks, leaving huge losses of lives and property in both countries.

Erdogan inspects the affected areas and announces that the number of earthquake victims has risen to 8,574

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced upon his arrival in Kahramanmaraş, the epicenter of the earthquake that occurred on Monday, that the number of earthquake victims has risen to 8,574 dead and 49,133 injured.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that the number of earthquake victims has risen to 8,574 dead and 49,133 injured.

This came during Erdogan's inspection tour of the earthquake-affected areas in the state of Kahramanmaraş, the epicenter of the earthquake that occurred on Monday, after which he heads to the rest of the affected areas in southern Turkey to see the damages of the earthquake disaster.

He added, in a statement to reporters, that 49,133 people were injured, and that the number of destroyed buildings reached 6,444 in the ten states affected by the earthquake.

He explained, "We mobilized all our resources to face the effects of the earthquakes."

And he added, "The state is working with all its capabilities with the municipalities, especially disaster and emergency management (AFAD)."

And the Turkish President sent a message of reassurance to the affected citizens, saying: "Let our citizens be assured, we cannot allow them to remain in the open."

He pointed out that the earthquake-affected people could stay in hotels that had been contracted in the states of Antalya, Mersin, and the city of Alanya, which is close to the affected area.

During his visit to the earthquake-hit areas, Erdogan promised to rebuild the area "within a year," as his government did previously.

In the context, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Health Minister Fahrettin Koca went to inspect the ongoing search and rescue efforts in Hatay province, after the earthquakes that struck the province and other regions in southern Turkey.

For his part, Turkish Minister of Environment and Urban Planning Murat Qorum said: "So far, 684 aftershocks have occurred in southern Turkey, and our efforts are continuing to rescue those trapped under the rubble and support those affected."

At dawn on Monday, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, followed by another hours later with a 7.6-magnitude and dozens of aftershocks, leaving huge losses of lives and property in both countries.