Turkey-Syria earthquake updates: Death toll climbs to over 41,000
The Feb. 6 quake was centered in Turkey's southeastern Kahramanmaras province.
More than 41,000 people are dead after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria on Feb. 6, according to Turkish and Syrian officials.
The pre-dawn quake was centered in the town of Pazarcik in Turkey's southeastern Kahramanmaras province and was followed by several powerful aftershocks. Thousands of buildings were toppled on both sides of the border, and the death toll continued to rise as rescue workers searched for survivors in the massive piles of rubble.
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CAIR-NY says former board member and his family were killed in earthquake
The Council on American-Islamic Relations' New York chapter tweeted Wednesday that a former board member, Burak Firik, along with his wife and two children were killed in Turkey during the earthquake.
A CAIR-NY representative told ABC News that the family, from Queens, was in Turkey to take care of Firik's father, who was having health issues.
-ABC News' Darren Reynolds
Death toll surpasses 15,000 in Turkey, Syria
Monday's massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 12,391 people and injured 62,914 others in southeastern Turkey, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.
Meanwhile, at least 2,962 people were killed and 4,654 others were injured in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.
-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman
3 Americans killed in Turkey by earthquake: State Department
Three U.S. citizens have been identified as among the more than 12,000 victims of the devastating earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria this week, the State Department confirmed Wednesday.
"We can confirm reports of at least three U.S. citizens killed in southeastern Türkiye," a State Department spokesperson said. "Our staff in Türkiye and here in the United States are working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to these victims and their family members."
The State Department is working closely with local authorities and other partner organizations to assist U.S. citizens in affected areas, the spokesperson added.
-ABC News' Shannon Crawford
Death toll tops 12,000 in Turkey, Syria
Monday's massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 9,057 people and injured 40,910 others in southeastern Turkey, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.
Meanwhile, at least 2,962 people were killed and 4,654 others were injured in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Will Gretsky
US ‘ramping up’ assistance to Turkey, Syria: White House
The United States is “ramping up” assistance to Turkey and Syria, White House spokesperson John Kirby said Friday.
“In Turkey, a USAID Disaster Assistance and Response Team is already on the ground. And two of our most highly trained urban search and rescue teams are conducting operations in support of Turkish rescue efforts in Adana -- one of the hardest-hit areas inside the country,” Kirby said. “These teams have nearly 200 personnel combined between them, specialized equipment and canine support dogs, as well.”
Kirby said they’ve been able to “expand their operational reach with the support of U.S. military Blackhawk helicopters” to try and get around the extensive damage to roads and bridges.
“To date, they have been able to cover more than 630 sites across Adana [in Turkey],” Kirby said. “In Syria, our humanitarian partners continue to urgently scale up response efforts to reach people in need. That work will include, or has included, chartered flights that are transporting essential medical supplies and teams distributing hot meals and other food.”
The United Nations and its partners have successfully completed two humanitarian convoys into northwest Syria, Kirby said. One partner delivered 14 additional truckloads of supplies through the Bab-al-Hawa Crossing on the Turkey-Syria border, “totaling now 20 trucks of critical medicines, food and water to people in need over the last two days,” he said.
Kirby said U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria “will not prevent or inhibit prohibiting humanitarian assistance.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez