The devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have seen the death toll hit 5,000 people as a third tremor hits. Amongst the chaos, 1,000 rescuers from across the globe are set to join local teams trying to pull victims from the destruction.
The Mirror reports that a third quake with a magnitude of 5.7 struck this morning. The earthquakes have left thousands buried beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing temperatures.
International search and rescue teams were racing last night to both Turkey and Syria to help look for survivors of the earthquake, amid fears the death toll could hit 20,000. UK relief worker Atiqur Rahman, who was in Turkey working, is helping with the search for survivors in Antakya.
The 37-year-old, who owns Yahya’s Indian Grill in Stoke, Staffordshire, escaped injury but a colleague’s son is missing. He said: “The only way I can describe it is Armageddon.
"There are people stuck, screaming; children dead. There are people dead in the streets.
"There is no electricity or gas. People are building fires on street corners.
“It’s freezing. They’re sleeping in bus shelters or under trees, anywhere away from buildings.
"One in three buildings have been totally knocked down.”
As of 8 am GMT on Tuesday, 3,381 have died in Turkey, plus 1,602 killed in Syria, bringing the total close to 5,000. There were a further 20,426 injured in Turkey with 3,649 others injured in Syria.
Atiqur, who works for the charity Global Relief Trust, added: “We are trying to do what we can. I’ve been in bombed cities but nothing compares to this. This is total destruction.”
Foreign secretary James Cleverly said it was “too early” to say if other Brits are among the dead or injured. Lib Dem Lord Bruce of Bennachie called the quake “truly apocalyptic”.
Turkish President Recep Erdogan said: “Because the debris removal efforts are continuing in many buildings, we do not know how high the number of dead and injured will rise.”
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