Human Interest

Father Holds the Hand of His Daughter Who Died Under Rubble Near Earthquake's Epicenter in Turkey

More than 11,000 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday

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Published on February 8, 2023 01:34 PM

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Mesut Hancer holds the hand of his 15-year-old daughter Irmak, who died in the earthquake in Kahramanmaras, close to the quake's epicentre, the day after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country's southeast, on February 7, 2023. - Rescuers in Turkey and Syria braved frigid weather, aftershocks and collapsing buildings, as they dug for survivors buried by an earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people. Some of the heaviest devastation occurred near the quake's epicentre between Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep, a city of two million where entire blocks now lie in ruins under gathering snow. — Photo: ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty

Heartbreaking images continue to emerge from Turkey and Syria as the death toll from Monday's 7.8-magnitude earthquake rises.

On Tuesday, AFP's Adem Atlan photographed father Mesut Hancer holding the hand of his daughter Irmak, 15, after she died beneath rubble in Kahramanmaras, near the earthquake's epicenter.

The girl's hand can be seen stretched out from underneath concrete slabs that collapsed on top of her during the fatal quake.

More than 11,000 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the earthquake, according to the Associated Press and Reuters.

Over 8,500 people have died in Turkey, and more than 2,500 have died in Syria, per the reports. Experts told the AP that the time to rescue victims alive is shrinking rapidly.

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"Statistically, today is the day when we're going to stop finding people," said David Alexander, a professor of emergency planning and management at University College London, per the report. "That doesn't mean we should stop searching."

On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan admitted the government was not entirely efficient in its initial response to the quake, per the reports.

But the president, who is up for re-election in May, said the response has improved. He also promised the government would distribute 10,000 Turkish lira (or about $532) to families impacted by the disaster, according to Reuters.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey's main opposition party, has accused Erdoğan of not properly preparing the county for a disaster like this and misspending funds, the AP reported.

Search and rescue operations continue after 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Elazig, Turkiye on February 06, 2023. Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) of Turkiye said the 7.7 magnitude quake struck at 4.17 a.m. (0117GMT) and was centered in the Pazarcik district in Turkiyeâs southern province of Kahramanmaras. Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis provinces are heavily affected by the quake. — Ismail Sen/Anadolu Agency via Getty

Turkey is prone to earthquakes, though the one that struck Monday is believed to be the strongest in the country in about eight decades, according to NPR.

This is the deadliest earthquake worldwide since 2015, when a 7.8-magnitude quake left 8,800 people dead in Nepal, the AP reported.

To help earthquake relief efforts in Turkey and Syria, conside donating to these organizations: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Doctors Without Borders, GlobalGiving, Save the Children, and The Syrian American Medical Society.