Feb 14,2023:Death toll from earthquakes goes past 37,000. Turkish authorities say 31,643 people have been killed in the country, while more than 5,800 people are dead in Syria, according to the UN and the Syrian government.
Syrian President al-Assad agrees to let the UN deliver aid to rebel-held parts of northwest Syria through two more border crossings from Turkey.
UN says more than 7 million children impacted by the quakes
More than seven million children have been affected by the massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the UN children’s agency says, voicing fear that “many thousands” more had died.
“While the total number of children affected remains unclear, 4.6 million children live in the 10 provinces of Türkiye hit by the earthquakes, and more than 2.5 million children are affected in Syria,” read a UNICEF report.
“Many families have lost their homes and are now living in temporary shelters, often in freezing conditions and with snow and rain adding to their suffering,” it added.
Access to safe water and sanitation is also a major concern, as are the health needs of the affected population.
UN team crosses over into Syria
A UN team crossed into rebel-held northwest Syria through the Bab al-Hawa crossing.
The team included representatives from the World Food Programme, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and UNICEF.
On Monday, the Syrian government had given its approval for the use of two more crossings from Turkey into northwest Syria by UN aid convoys.
