United Nations put in guard against terrifying figures: more than 7 million children have been affected by the earthquake

More than seven million children were affected by the devastating earthquake and the large aftershock that followed in Turkey and in Syria last week, the United Nations announced on Tuesday, expressing fears that thousands more may have died.

“In Turkey, the total number of children living in the ten provinces affected by the earthquakes was 4.6 million. In Syria, 2.5 million children were affected,” a UNICEF spokesperson told reporters in Geneva. James Elder.

Elder was speaking as rescue teams began to finish the search for survivors of the cataclysmic earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 35,000 people in the two countries.

“UNICEF fears that thousands of children are being killed,” Elder said, warning that “even without checking the numbers, it is tragically clear that the numbers will continue to rise.”

He feared the end result would be “terrifying”. She noted that, given the catastrophic and mounting death toll, it is clear that “many, many children have lost their parents in these devastating earthquakes.” “The number will be terrifying,” he warned.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced people face cold and hunger in the ruins.

Elder said families with their children “are sleeping on the streets, shopping malls, schools, mosques, bus stations and under bridges, and are still with their children.” in open areas for fear of returning to their homes”.

He added: “Tens of thousands of families are exposed to the elements during a very cold time of year, and snow and freezing rain are common,” referring to reports of high numbers of children suffering from hypothermia and respiratory infections.

In context, a UN delegation entered areas controlled by jihadist and opposition factions in northwestern Syria on Tuesday for the first time since the devastating earthquake, according to an AFP correspondent. in a visit which, according to a United Nations official in Geneva, aims to “assess” the damage.

Before noon on Tuesday, the delegation crossed into Turkey via the Bab al-Hawa crossing point to the Idlib Governorate, from where they headed towards the city of Sarmada. The visit comes after the United Nations delays in bringing humanitarian aid convoys in Response to the earthquake in badly affected areas of northern Syria has sparked widespread resentment.