Quake death toll tops 5,000

Rescuers struggled to save people trapped under the rubble as the death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria rose past 5,000 yesterday, with the scale of the disaster hampering relief efforts.

The magnitude 7.8 quake - Turkey's deadliest since 1999 - hit early Monday, toppling thousands of buildings and leaving thousands injured or homeless.

In the Turkish city of Antakya, the temperature was close to freezing and there was no electricity or fuel.

Turkish authorities said about 13.5 million people were affected in an area spanning around 450 kilometers and the death toll climbed to 3,419. About 5,775 buildings had been destroyed and 20,426 people injured.

Meanwhile, in Syria the death toll rose to over 1,600. Ankara declared a "level 4 alarm" that calls for international help.

Reuters