Monday’s deadly earthquake has left millions homeless in Turkey and Syria in the dead of winter, with survivors seeking refuge in temporary shelters in freezing temperatures.
Some 5.37 million people need shelter assistance in Syria alone, according to preliminary estimates from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Survivors beneath the rubble still have a glimmer of hope. On her fifth day after the earthquake, the team was able to rescue a mother and her two daughters, and another of her family of six in Turkey. But the pace of rescue is slowing.
Meanwhile, the family begins to bury their loved ones and are grieving. Salma Salazar, who lost her family, told CNN her family was “very saddened”.
Here’s what you should know:
Record-breaking earthquake: Monday’s disaster was the worst earthquake to hit Turkey in more than 80 years. The earthquake killed more than her 23,000, more than his 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
Government intervention: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that the government will pay people’s rent for a year if they don’t want to stay in tents. He also vowed punishment for “abusers” involved in crimes during the declared emergency. He has reported attacks on businesses and robberies in areas affected by the earthquake. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Friday that a judicial investigation into builders in the earthquake-affected area had been launched, according to Turkish state media Anadolu.
Aid efforts: Erdogan said more than 141,000 rescue workers are working on the ground in 10 earthquake-hit provinces in Turkey. The White House said the US will “increase” its aid to Turkey and Syria.
But in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad on Friday criticized the West for “not taking into account the human condition”. His comments are in line with statements heard from senior government officials and Syrian state media. However, the International Organization for Migration told CNN it had not received details from officials about the announcement.