Turkey earthquake: Before and after satellite images show extent of destruction

Satellite images released on Wednesday showed Turkey before and after the devastating earthquake which occurred on Monday.

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Although Turkey was the epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, large parts of Syria were also severely affected by it.

The quake has since killed more than 16,000 people in total, including over 12,800 in Turkey and 3,162 in Syria.

As the scale of the disaster became ever more apparent, the death toll looked likely to rise considerably. One UN official said thousands of children may have died.

Monday’s quake, was followed by a second one almost as powerful just hours later, toppling thousands of buildings including hospitals, schools and apartment blocks.

It has since injured tens of thousands and left countless people homeless in Turkey and northern Syria.

Rescue workers struggled to reach some of the worst-hit areas, held back by destroyed roads, poor weather and a lack of resources and heavy equipment. Some areas were without fuel and electricity.

With little immediate help at hand, residents picked through rubble sometimes without even basic tools in a desperate hunt for survivors.

In Antakya, capital of Hatay province bordering Syria, rescue teams were thin on the ground and residents picked through debris themselves. People pleaded for helmets, hammers, iron rods and rope.

More than 12,000 Turkish search and rescue personnel are working in the affected areas, along with 9,000 troops. More than 70 countries offered rescue teams and other aid.

But the sheer scale of the disaster is daunting.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said 5,775 buildings had been destroyed in the quake and that 20,426 people had been injured.

With Agencies

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