Erdogan declares disaster area after Turkiye quake

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 afflicted provinces, which would facilitate management of the emergency response. Erdogan said 13 million of the country's 85 million people were affected and described the earthquake as “unique in the world.”

The country health minister announced the death toll in Turkiye from a deadly earthquake had passed 5,400. The total was expected to rise further as search and rescue efforts continued across southeast Turkiye and across the border into Syria.