The number of people in Syria who have died as a result of this morning’s earthquake has risen to 783, according to figures cited by the AFP news agency.
This marks a significant jump and pushes the overall death toll in Syria and Turkey nearer to 2,000.
Turkey’s death toll has also risen in the last hour to more than 1,000.
Both figures are likely to continue rising.
World leaders pledge support
The leaders of countries around the world have pledged to send support to help rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement: “My thoughts are with the people of Türkiye and Syria this morning, particularly with those first responders working so valiantly to save those trapped by the earthquake. The UK stands ready to help in whatever way we can.”
French President Emmanuel Macron described the images coming from both countries as “terrible” and said France “stands ready to provide emergency aid”, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country mourned with the relatives of those killed and “will of course send help”.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu sent his condolences to the citizens of Turkey and said he had instructed “all authorities to prepare immediately to provide medical, rescue and rescue assistance”.
The Indian government said that 100 disaster response personnel as well as specially-trained dog squads were ready to be flown to the areas affected, and that medical teams and supplies were also being prepared.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he was in touch with Turkey’s President Erdogan and was “mobilising support”.
People wait in hope for families to be rescued
An old woman is wailing in Kurdish, waiting to hear from her sister-in-law and nieces and nephews who were stuck under the rubble.
Some young neighbours are trying to console her, saying: “They rescued a person a few minutes ago, they will rescue your family, too.”
She is not very hopeful since her family lived in the ground floor of the 12-storey building.
“They were on the ground floor, sleeping, I don’t know if anyone can reach them… and it is very cold, my babies will be frozen under the rubble,” she says.
And all of a sudden, the crowd gets loud and clapping is heard. They reach someone under the rubble. It’s not her relatives but still she is glad someone is rescued. But soon enough they are confirmed dead, and a deep silence dominates the crowd.
It’s freezing cold, raining and because of the aftershocks, no one can go closer to their houses. Even though they left their houses in the middle of the night in a hurry… they are too afraid to go back home to pick up some jackets and shoes.
At least seven buildings collapsed in Diyarbakir, 33 people have been confirmed dead and 12 people were rescued from the rubble.
