In the wake of the February earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and the northwest of Syria, the death toll rose to a total of 48,448 lives lost. Initial estimates at the outset of the disaster placed fatalities around 6,000, underscoring a rapidly evolving and tragic humanitarian crisis.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu reported that more than 1.5 million households have filed applications for financial assistance to repair the damage caused by the earthquakes. The Anadolu Agency has been tallying the applications registered in homes, documenting a spectrum from minor to severe structural harm.
On the ground, Soylu indicated that over 10,000 buildings were destroyed directly by the earthquakes and that many of these structures are awaiting immediate demolition to prevent further catastrophes. To date, more than 36,000 buildings have already been destroyed. These numbers reflect the immense scale of destruction faced by communities in the affected regions.
With this new balance, the combined fatalities in Turkey and Syria reached roughly 54,500, a figure many officials describe as the deadliest seismic event in the histories of both nations. The scale of the disaster has prompted a sustained, high‑intensity response to rescue survivors, assess structural risks, and deliver essential aid to those in need.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly acknowledged the extraordinary efforts being made since the disaster unfolded, praising the relentless dedication of medical personnel and emergency services. He noted that such cooperative, urgent operations enabled Turkey to conduct search and rescue missions on an unprecedented scale, underscoring the national resolve in the face of devastation.
The February 6 earthquake sequence produced a deep and lasting impact, marked by more than 11,000 aftershocks documented by AFAD. This seismic activity contributed to the nearly 6,000 confirmed deaths in Syria, though counting victims in certain areas, especially in the northwest, remains extraordinarily challenging due to ongoing conflict and access limitations.