In Turkey and Syria, the number of victims of the earthquakes exceeded 37,500, and the cases of those rescued from the rubble are already in single digits.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to open two more border crossings to allow the delivery of aid after devastating tremors in the region. This was announced by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The situation is particularly dire in the rebel-held area of northwest Syria, which cannot receive aid convoys from government-held parts of the country without Damascus' permission.
Until now, all humanitarian aid for the more than four million people living in rebel-held areas in northwestern Syria has been delivered from Turkey through just one border crossing. "Opening two more points, along with facilitating humanitarian access, speeding up visas and facilitating travel between hubs, will allow more aid to be delivered faster," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. According to data from the Syrian rescue organization "White Helmets", the number of victims in northwestern Syria is over 2,200 people, and the wounded are more than 12,000. Survivors are exposed to harsh winter conditions on both sides of the border between Syria and Turkey.
The rescue phase is "coming to an end", said the deputy. UN Secretary-General for Humanitarian Aid and Refugees Martin Griffiths during a visit to Aleppo in northern Syria.
"What we have seen happening in these areas - rescuers searching and pulling survivors from the rubble - is coming to an end. Next is the humanitarian phase, namely - the urgency of providing shelter, psychological-social care, food, education and hope for the future of these people. That is our duty now," said Martin Griffiths.
A team of Bulgarian doctors is ready to leave for Turkey, but it is not yet clear when they will go to the areas affected by the earthquake. The Turkish side is expected to indicate a location to which the volunteers will be sent, as well as to create an organization on the spot, said Deputy Minister of Health Katya Ivkova.
There are already nearly 50 doctors who have expressed their desire to leave, among them there are also medical students. She also explained that until now they have not asked Turkey for support in the form of accepting injured people for treatment on the territory of Bulgaria.
