26 Million People Affected by Deadly Turkey-Syria Earthquake: WHO

The quake has so far affected 15 million people in Turkey and 11 million in Syria, with the death toll from Monday's quake approaching 30,000.

In a statement, the WHO said, "The staggering figure includes more than five million people who are particularly vulnerable, including close to 350,000 elderly people and over 1.4 million children." The death toll from the earthquake had risen to over 29,000 as of February 12.

The WHO appealed for $42.8 million to address the immediate and overwhelming health needs of the quake-stricken population. "WHO's goal is to save lives in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, to minimize its downstream health consequences, including mental health, and to rapidly restore essential health services across all earthquake-affected populations," the organization stated.

According to the United Nations health agency, the earthquake has caused the collapse of over 4,000 buildings in Turkey, with 15 hospitals suffering partial or heavy damage. In Syria, at least 20 health facilities, including four hospitals, have sustained damage.

WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, arrived in the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 12 and expressed his heartbreak at the conditions faced by survivors. “I just met Nour and Omar who lost their parents in the earthquake in #Aleppo. There are no words to express the pain they are going through. Grateful to colleagues and partners who are providing them with needed care, comfort and love. #Syria,” he wrote in a post on Twitter.

The WHO has sent 37 metric tons of trauma and emergency surgery supplies to Turkey and 35 metric tons to Syria, which will be used to treat and care for 100,000 people as well as for 120,000 urgent surgical interventions in both countries. A third flight carrying a similar load is scheduled to reach Syria on February 14.