
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that nearly 23 million people could be impacted by the powerful earthquake that struck southern Turkey early Monday, which has left over 5,000 people dead and thousands more injured.
"Event overview maps show that potentially 23 million people are exposed, including around 5 million vulnerable populations, including more than 350,000 older people, 1.4 million children," WHO senior emergencies officer Adelheid Marschang told the UN health agency's executive board meeting in Geneva.
The head of the WHO expressed his concern at the situation, calling it a "race against time."
"We're especially concerned about areas where we do not yet have information," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "Damage mapping is one way to understand where we need to focus our attention."
Footage of rescue efforts across both countries emerged Monday, with family members mourning the loss of loved ones while others celebrated as survivors were found in the rubble of fallen buildings.