Turkey earthquake: The Turkish Emergency Department said that the 7.0 magnitude earthquake injured 896 people in Turkey.
Berkel, Turkey:
Rescue workers searched eight destroyed buildings in Izmir on Sunday, although hopes for survivors dwindled, as the death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck western Turkey rose to 51.
The Turkish Emergency Service said that the 7.0-magnitude earthquake injured 896 people in Turkey, after it struck on Friday afternoon near the town of Seferihisar, located on the western coast in Izmir.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Department said more than 200 people were hospitalized.
Later on Sunday, Vice President Fuad Oktay said that the death toll rose by two to 51 during a visit to Izmir, adding that nearly 300 buildings were damaged, although most of them were slightly affected.
The Turkish town of Berkeley was the worst hit, as restless families spent a second night in tents in thick blankets.
Others watched anxiously as rescue workers passed through the rubble for a second day.
In particular, some expressed concern that hopes of finding more survivors faded over time.
But a worker in one of the collapsed buildings, who asked not to be named, told AFP they believed at least 10 people were still under the rubble.
Nearly 6,000 rescue workers have been working all day and all night since Friday, with mechanical excavators helping them remove blocks of concrete.
Periodically, rescue work was halted, and everyone kept silent to hear any sign of someone trapped in the rubble.
A woman was heard waiting to hear news of a family friend telling another person "It would be a miracle if they were found alive."
Thousands of tents have been set up in the country since officials warned residents to avoid returning to their homes.
The Hurriyet daily, citing local reports, said that two of the buildings where rescue efforts are concentrated were in poor condition in 2012 and 2018, respectively, with "low-quality concrete" used in their construction.
The newspaper said that the "debtor" report on one of the buildings clearly estimated that it was "at risk" based on earthquake safety requirements and advised that "necessary measures" be taken to increase safety.
The daily added that the second building appeared to have been work on to reinforce the structure.
More earthquake fears
Turkey reported more than 800 aftershocks in the aftermath of the earthquake, including 40 aftershocks above four degrees.
Two teenagers, who were on their way home from school, were killed in Greece, as the earthquake caused a small tsunami on the Greek island of Samos and a surge of water from the sea that turned the streets into rivers in a Turkish city.
Friday's earthquake was so strong that it was felt as far away as Istanbul and Athens. The disaster prompted Greece and Turkey to put their differences aside and work together to help those affected.
The Turkish site HaberTurk noted that the earthquake is the deadliest in Turkey so far this year. In January, one killed more than 40 people in the eastern provinces of Alazig and Malatya.
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