The death toll from a magnitude 7.8 earthquake causing massive destruction in Turkey and Syria rose above 5,000 on Tuesday as rescuers continued searching for survivors, officials said.
Heavy rain and snow complicated the rescue efforts in Turkey, where 3,419 of those confirmed deaths occurred, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said.
At least 1,602 people died in Syria, bringing the confirmed death toll to 5,021, according to authorities. More than 20,000 people were said to be injured, while thousands of buildings and other structures collapsed throughout southeast Turkey and northern Syria.
The massive earthquake occurred Monday morning and was followed hours later by a magnitude 7.5 quake about 60 miles away. Kahramanmaras and Adiyaman were among the Turkish provinces to suffer devastation, as was Hatay, where an airport was destroyed.
Fourteen countries — including Italy, France, Germany, India, Britain and Russia — sent a total of more than 3,000 search-and-rescue teams to help with the recovery.
China vowed to send $6 million in foreign aid to Turkey, while South Korea said it would provide medical supplies and a 60-member search-and-rescue troupe.
“It’s an obvious decision to help our brother nation Turkey to deal with this pain and difficulty,” said South Korea defense ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha Gyu. “An incident involving such enormous casualties is more than just a disaster of a certain nation and should be seen as an international disaster, and the international society should fully perform its duty and responsibility.”
Oktay says more than 8,000 people were removed from the destruction in Turkey. More than 13 million Turkish residents lived in impacted areas and about 380,000 survivors are staying in shelter areas, according to authorities.
Survivors trapped under debris could be heard yelling for help Monday as responders searched the scene.
A state of emergency issued by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan includes 10 provinces. Turkey sent more than 24,000 emergency officials to areas in need.