In earthquake-stricken Turkey, Syria, 26 mln residents need humanitarian aid — WHO

About 26 mln people in Turkey and Syria are in need of humanitarian aid following the February 6 earthquakes, Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said at a briefing on Tuesday.

"The needs are huge, increasing by the hour. Some 26 million people across both countries need humanitarian assistance," he said.

The organization noted that more than 31,000 people have lost their lives in Turkey while the number of injured is almost 100,000, and the death toll is nearly 5,000 in northwest Syria. "All of these figures will likely rise," Kluge stressed. "We are witnessing the worst natural disaster in the WHO European Region for a century. We are still learning about its magnitude. Its true cost is not known yet," he added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged to provide $43 mln to support the earthquake response in these two countries. "I expect this to at least double over the coming days, as we get a better assessment of the massive scale of this crisis and the needs," the official emphasized.