The World Health Organization made a statement on Tuesday that the devastating earthquake which arrived in Turkey and Syria has been identified as the “worst natural disaster” in over ten decades across the European region.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake was not enough that the people there were also affected by the aftershocks. On February 6 the high-altitude disaster have claimed over 35,000 lives of people in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.
“We are witnessing the worst natural disaster in the WHO European region for a century and we are still learning about its magnitude,” Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, averred in a press conference.
The WHO’s European region includes 53 countries, encompassing the region of Turkey. Syria is also a designated member of the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean region.
Kluge further averred that the health council had “initiated the largest deployment of emergency medical teams” in the whole 75-year history of the WHO European region.
“Twenty-two emergency medical teams have arrived in Turkey so far,” Kluge added, also mentioning that it will integrate it into “Turkey’s ongoing health response”. As per the records, the fatality numbers as of now is 35,331, which comprises 31,643 people in Turkey and at least 3,688 in Syria.
“The needs are huge, increasing by the hour. Some 26 million people across both countries need humanitarian assistance,” Kluge stated.
