The death toll in the February 6th earthquake that struck parts of Turkey and Syria has surpassed 40,000, authorities say.
- The staggering new figure comes after searchers discovered 4,000 more bodies on Monday and Tuesday, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Of the 40,000 victims, 35,418 were residents of Turkey, Erdogan says. An additional 13,000 people are still recovering from injuries in local hospitals, authorities report.
- The 7.7 magnitude earthquake has also left at least 1.6 million people homeless, while an additional 600,000 residents have fled from the earthquake-ravaged countries, according to reports.