UN relief chief meets families affected by quake

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, visited Kahramanmaraş and met with families affected by the earthquake. He also spoke with search and rescue responders as they were carrying out their operations.

Rescue crews on Saturday pulled more survivors, including entire families, from toppled buildings despite diminishing hopes as the death toll of the enormous quake that struck a border region of Türkiye and Syria five days ago surpassed 25,000.

Humanitarian groups working in southern Türkiye and northwest Syria warn that Monday's earthquake will have a “long tail” - a wide range of needs that will require donations for months, or even years, after the rescue and recovery missions end.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said they had 5,200 volunteers mobilized on both sides of the border, with the Turkish operation being more robust and better-equipped because of its longstanding program to support Syrian refugees.