The death toll from the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria has exceeded 21,000. The earthquake claimed more than 17,600 lives in Turkiye. More than 70,000 people were reported injured. According to the latest figures, 6,444 buildings have been destroyed. Rescuers from dozens of countries continue to search for survivors. 87 hours after the first strong quake in Malatya, a child was pulled alive from the rubble. A team of Bulgarian volunteers rescued five people in the town of Kahramanmarash, the National Association of Volunteers in Bulgaria said on Facebook.

One of the five rescue dogs that were send from Bulgaria found a woman alive beneath the rubble in the town of Antakya, Bulgaria’s Mountain Rescue Service said. Two lives were saved in a joint operation between Bulgarian and local teams. A 4-year-old child and an elderly man were rescued, the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate said. Dr. Veselin Yolov, who is part of the Bulgarian team, had the difficult task of participating in a complex surgical intervention.

The Bulgarian Red Cross announced the first transfer, through the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), to help the victims of the devastating earthquakes. Turkiye will receive EUR 240,000. EUR 160,000 will go to Syria.

Two trucks with aid collected by the Gorata.bg foundation are leaving for Turkiye on February 10. One of the trucks will be heading directly to the town of Adana, Nikola Rahnev from Gorata.bg said for the BNR.