Rescuers from Turkey and Syria, and increasingly from around the world as international assistance arrived, have continued to search the rubble for survivors early Wednesday after major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Officials say the number of dead tallied in the two countries so far is climbing toward 9,000, with fears that this figure could double. Turkey's Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) said on Wednesday that the death toll there had climbed to at least 7,108.

The combined death toll from figures provided by Syrian authorities operating in government-controlled and insurgent-held areas has meanwhile topped 2,500. The White Helmets rescue team, which is coordinating emergency efforts in rebel-held areas, said on Twitter the toll had risen to more than 1,280 deaths and more than 2,600 injured.

Overnight, the Syrian health minister said the number of
dead in government-held parts of the country rose to 1,250, the
state-run al-Ikhbariya news outlet reported on its Telegram
feed. The number of wounded was 2,054, he said. All the responsible authorities continue to warn that the figures could continue to rise and that the chances of finding survivors under the rubble is diminishing as time passes.

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