Erdogan at rescue efforts at Iskenderun, Adana

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the ongoing rescue efforts in Iskenderun and Adana, two of the cities affected by the world’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade. The Turkish government has come under criticism from survivors in for not getting enough rescue teams to the province.

Erdogan acknowledged “shortcomings” in his country's response but said the winter weather had been a factor. Search teams from more than two dozen countries have joined tens of thousands of local emergency personnel in Syria and Turkiye.

But the scale of destruction from the quake and its powerful aftershocks was so immense and spread over such a wide area - including a region isolated by Syria’s ongoing civil war - that many people were still awaiting help. In addition to 12,873 people killed in Turkey, the country's disaster management agency said more than 60,000 have been injured. More than 2,900 people have been reported dead on the Syria side of the border.