Turkey-Syria earthquakes: Turkish President declares emergency rule, death toll nears 8,000

Orhan Tatar, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency's general director (AFAD), said that at least 5,775 buildings collapsed after an earthquake hit Turkey.

The back-to-back earthquakes that hit the middle east country since Monday (February 6) have killed over 7,700 people and left tens of thousands injured in Turkey and Syria. An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 centered in the Pazarcik district jolted Kahramanmaras and hit several provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis.

Later in the day, an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude centred in Kahramanmaras's Elbistan district jolted the region. The earthquake was also felt in several neighbouring countries, including Lebanon and Syria.

The third earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale hit Goksun, Turkey. The United Nations said the first quake of magnitude 7.8 that had hit the southern Turkey early on Monday was the county's most powerful quake in more than 80 years. 

With this, the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoganon on Tuesday declared a 'state of emergency' in 10 worst-hit provinces for the next 3 months.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that around 7,500 Turkish soldiers are working in the earthquake-affected region to assist with rescue operations.

On Wednesday, an additional 1,500 personnel will join the team, the defence minister said. It is reportedly said that 75 military aircraft have been dispatched to the region. Hulusi Akar said that nine commando battalions have arrived in the region from the west and four commando battalions from Cyprus will arrive in the region as well. 

Orhan Tatar, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency's general director (AFAD), said that at least 5,775 buildings collapsed after an earthquake hit Turkey.