The number of people killed in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria has exceeded 12,000 and is expected to grow.
The dramatic jump, much higher than the toll given the day prior, reflects the struggle of rescue workers to reach those trapped under the rubble. The earthquake struck an area that was experiencing one of its coldest winters in years. The weather contributed to the high death toll.
Sanctions and the ongoing civil war in Syria have limited the amount of aid able to reach the affected populace.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the current death toll in Turkey is at 9,000. Government and opposition sources in Syria reported a combined total of 2,800, the Associated Press reported.
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The current death toll makes the earthquake the deadliest in over a decade. It exceeds that of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Nepal in 2015, killing 8,800.
Furthermore, David Alexander, professor of emergency planning and management at University College London, told the outlet that the true death toll likely won’t be known for weeks to come. He said that despite the hopeful stories emerging of miraculous rescues, nearly all of those found from this point onward will be dead.
“Statistically, today is the day when we’re going to stop finding people,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we should stop searching.”
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Erdogan defended his government’s management of the crisis as the best possible when responding to critics who blamed his rule for much of the devastation.
“It is not possible to be prepared for such a disaster,” he said. “We will not leave any of our citizens uncared for.”
Erdogan also said “dishonorable people” were spreading “lies and slander” about his government’s response.
