KABUL (Pajhwok): The death toll from earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria has passed 7,800, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
Rescuers are desperately trying to find survivors under the rubble after the 7.8 magnitude quake jolted Gaziantep in the before dawn on Monday.
Over 1,900 people have lost their lives in Syria, with the fatalities expected to mount further. More than 3,649 people were wounded.
Amid hectic search and rescue efforts, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said the toll had mounted to 5,894 dead and over 34,000 injured.
Reuters quoted Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as declaring a state of emergency in 10 provinces, as residents of affected cities hit out at slow response from the government to the tragedy.
Thousands of buildings including hospitals, schools and apartment blocks collapsed as a result of the quake that wounded tens of thousands and left countless people homeless.
In Geneva, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told journalists that thousands of children were among the fatalities caused by the tremors. He said Syrian refugees in both countries were among the most vulnerable people affected.
PAN Monitor/mud
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