Ankara [Turkey], February 7: The screams of people still trapped in the rubble filled the night early on Tuesday and relatives wept for their loved ones as the death toll in Turkey and in neighbouring northwest Syria rose to more than 3,700.
The magnitude 7.8 quake rippled through both countries early on Monday, toppling entire apartment blocks, wrecking hospitals, and leaving thousands more people injured or homeless.
Freezing winter weather hampered search efforts for survivors through the night into Tuesday.
Under a pile of rubble in the southern province of Hatay, a woman's voice could be heard calling for help. Nearby, the body of a small child lay lifeless.
Weeping in the rain, a local resident who gave his name as Deniz wrung his hands in despair.
"They're making noises but nobody is coming," he said. "We're devastated, we're devastated. My God. They're calling out. They're saying, 'Save us,' but we can't save them. How are we going to save them?
There has been nobody since the morning."Temperatures fell close to freezing overnight, worsening conditions for people trapped under rubble or left homeless.
In Kahramanmaras, north of Hatay, entire families gathered around fires and wrapped themselves in blankets to stay warm.
"We barely made it out of the house," said NesetGuler, huddled around the fire with his four children. "Our situation is a disaster. We are hungry, we are thirsty. It's miserable."
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
