Earthquake in Türkiye claims lives of 10 Moroccans as death toll rises

The death toll among the Moroccan community in Türkiye, in the violent earthquake that struck the south of the country, has now reached ten, the Kingdom’s embassy in Ankara said Monday.

Four new victims, all women, have died in this earthquake, said the diplomatic mission.

On February 6, Turkiye and Syria woke up to one of the most devastating earthquakes the two countries have seen in decades. Since then, the death toll has been increasing to reach 36,000, while the number of injured exceeded 80,000.

Rescue missions are still busy trying to find survivors from under the rubble.

The United Nations expressed fears that the number of casualties will continue to climb.

“I think it is difficult to estimate precisely as we need to get under the rubble but I’m sure it will double or more,” UN emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said.

Griffiths described the situation as “terrifying” and insisted that “this is nature striking back in a really harsh way.” It is “deeply shocking … the idea that these mountains of rubble still hold people, some of them still alive,” he said.

Countries around the world extended aid to Syria and Türkiye in the wake of the tragedy and Turkish authorities have decreed a three-month state of emergency in the affected areas.