WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2023) The well-being of thousands of children and families in Turkey and Syria remains at risk after two catastrophic earthquakes hit these countries earlier on Monday, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement.
"Thousands of children and families are at risk after two devastating earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks hit south-east Turkey and Syria today," the statement said on Monday. "According to the authorities in the two countries more than 2,300 people have been killed, including children, with thousands more injured. These numbers are only likely to increase."
UNICEF is coordinating its efforts to provide assistance with the Turkish government and the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, the statement said.
In Syria, UNICEF is assessing the impact of the earthquake and is preparing to support the humanitarian response in coordination with its partners there, the statement said.
"Thousands of homes are likely to have been destroyed, displacing families and exposing them to the elements at a time of year when temperatures regularly drop below freezing and snow and freezing rain are common," the statement said. "Heavy snowstorms have also recently hit parts of Syria and Turkey, with further sub-zero temperatures forecasted."
In addition, schools, hospitals and other medical and educational facilities are damaged or destroyed by the earthquakes, further affecting children, as are roads and critical infrastructure, will also complicate search and rescue efforts as well as humanitarian response efforts, the statement added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the earthquake was the most powerful to hit his country in more than eight decades. The Turkish Health Ministry said the death toll exceeds 1,650 people, with another 11,119 people being injured.
The Syrian authorities said that more than 538 people have died and 1,353 have been injured in the country as a result of the earthquake.
Both the Syrian and Turkish presidents said they were offered and had accepted assistance from Russia. The Kremlin said that specialized Russian teams will soon head to Syria to aid the rescue efforts.
