By John Ikani
The death toll from the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria has risen to over 11,200.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan toured the affected areas, visiting the worst-hit provinces of Hatay and Kahramanmaraş.
Despite criticism of the authorities’ response and calls for more help, Erdogan declared that the rescue operation was improving day by day.
Erdoğan confirmed that 8,754 people have been declared dead in the earthquake in Turkey, while 2,470 have died in Syria.
The death toll is expected to rise further, possibly doubling in total.
The President has called on citizens to ignore “provocateurs” who he claims are spreading anger about the slow pace of the rescue effort.
Several people have been arrested for social media posts regarding the earthquake.
The first powerful earthquake was followed by a second quake of almost equal strength, causing thousands of buildings, including hospitals, schools, and apartments, to collapse.
This has left tens of thousands injured and homeless.
As rescue efforts continue in freezing temperatures, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a race against time to find those still trapped in the rubble.
The WHO predicts that up to 23 million people could be affected by the earthquake and has urged countries to provide aid.
Countries including the US, China, and multiple EU states have pledged help and relief supplies and search teams have begun to arrive.
However, a winter storm has complicated the rescue effort, making many roads almost impassable and causing traffic jams that stretch for miles.
Criticism continues to mount over the slow and inadequate response to the disaster, and many in Turkey are directing their anger towards an “earthquake tax” that was levied by the Turkish government over 20 years ago.
