The death toll from

the earthquake

in Turkey and Syria has increased to 24,218 people.

This is reported by Sky News with reference to data from the official services of the countries.

"The death toll in Turkey and Syria has increased again in the last few minutes. So far, it has been confirmed that 20,665 people have died in Turkey alone. Another 3,553 people have died as a result of the earthquake in Syria," the report said.

This brings the total number of confirmed deaths in the two countries to 24,218.

In addition, about 80,000 people were injured as a result of the earthquake.

Another 93,000 victims were evacuated from the disaster zone in southern Turkey.

166,000 people are involved in rescue operations in the region.

American seismologist Judith Hubbard notes that the 7.8-magnitude earthquake was caused by two faults moving in a transverse direction against each other.

According to her, along the East Anatolian Fault, the Anatolian and Arabian plates slide and rub against each other, resulting in constant tension that is sometimes released in catastrophic landslides.

At the same time, the power of earthquakes in such cases depends on how much energy managed to accumulate in the crust before its release.

The US Geological Survey has already recorded more than a hundred aftershocks in the region, and experts expect them to continue for some time.

According to Columbia University seismologist Michael Steckler, plate activity is likely to continue.

"This entire area, all parts of the Earth will slowly adapt, break, break and come to a new balance," the expert noted.

Large-scale earthquake in Turkey and Syria

We will remind that on February 6, a large-scale earthquake occurred on the territory of Turkey and Syria.

The total number of victims is over 40,000 people, thousands of buildings have been destroyed, and people are still under the rubble.

The total number of 

dead 

has increased to 16 thousand people.

Turkish authorities have declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces affected by earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6.

The epicenter of the disaster was in the Pazardzhik district of the Kahramanmarash province.

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