Earlier this month, the cumulative death toll from the devastating earthquakes that struck southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria exceeded 50,000.
According to foreign media such as Reuters on the 24th (local time), the Turkiye Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the cumulative death toll after the earthquake hit 44,218, which was counted that day. The latest death toll announced by Syrian authorities is 5,914, bringing the combined death toll in both countries to 50,132.
In the 21st century, the earthquake in Turkey and Syria was recorded as the 6th most deadly natural disaster after the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) estimated that 1.5 million people were affected by the earthquake and that 500,000 new homes were needed. UNDP explained that it would request US$113.5 million out of US$1 billion that the UN is raising to help the earthquake-stricken area and use it to clear away the rubble of buildings. UNDP estimated that the earthquake produced between 116 and 210 million tons of debris.