More than 36,000 people died across Turkey, Syria

A week since the most devastating earthquakes in recent history, workers in Turkey and Syria were searching for signs of life in freezing temperatures as the death toll surpassed 36,000 and survivors expressed frustration about the rescue efforts.

The tremors have killed at least 31,643 people in Turkey as of Monday and the confirmed death toll in Syria is 4,614.

Magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday, toppling thousands of buildings and injuring tens of thousands of people. As many as 5.3 million people in Syria may need shelter, the UN Refugee Agency said, and the number of fatalities in both countries continues to rise.

According to the rescue group, some 550 buildings were completely destroyed in northwestern Syria following last week’s earthquakes and more than 1,570 were also severely damaged.

MNA/PR