At least 4,372 people have been confirmed dead after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday morning, CNN reported, citing Yunus Sezer, the head of Turkey’s emergency services.

According to Yunus Sezer, head of Turkey’s emergency services, the death toll in Turkey had risen to 2,921 as of Tuesday morning.

A total of 15,834 injuries were reported, Sezer told a news conference in Ankara.

Sezer said he would provide more information at 6 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET).

In Syria, officials reported 1,451 dead and 3,531 wounded.

According to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, at least 5,606 buildings were destroyed in Turkey during and after the earthquake. There are reports of similar destruction in northern Syria.

El-Mostafa Benlamlich, the UN’s humanitarian aid coordinator in Syria, told CNN that many buildings have been destroyed – and more may fall.

(source: news.ro)