Some 58,000 Palestinian refugees affected by quake in Syria

"We are working to provide urgent aid to Palestinian refugees in Syria," the Al Arabiya television reported, citing data from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). "The earthquake affected 58,000 Palestinians."

Palestinian Ambassador to Syria Samir al-Rifai said the confirmed death toll among Palestinian refugees in Syria stood at 44 as of Tuesday evening. Palestine’s WAFA news agency said at least 18 Palestinians were killed in Turkey as a result of the earthquake.

Earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 hit the Kahramanmaras province in southeastern Turkey on Monday. The tremors, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, were felt in ten provinces, as well as in neighboring countries, including Syria. Latest casualty reports say that more than 7,900 people had been killed. At least 5,894 people have died in Turkey, while at least 2,032 have been killed in Syria.

MNA/PR