Earthquake death toll surpasses 50,000 in Turkey and Syria

FILE PHOTO: Workers clean the rubble of a collapsed building in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Antakya, Hatay province, Turkey, February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria that struck on Feb. 6 surpassed 50,000 on Friday after Turkey declared more than 44,000 people died.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the death toll in Turkey due to earthquakes rose to 44,218 on Friday night.

With Syria's latest announced death toll of 5,914, the combined death toll in the two countries rose to above 50,000.

FILE PHOTO: People wait as emergency workers search through rubble for the bodies of a mother and child, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Antakya, Hatay province, Turkey, February 21 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

(Reporting Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Chris Reese)