Quake death toll tops 50,000; no survivors found recently in Turkish disaster zones

 The combined death toll from earthquakes that struck Turkey and neighboring Syria earlier this month has now crossed 50,000, the latest figures from the quake-hit nations suggest.

While Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) on Friday put the number of people killed so far in the disaster in the country at 44,218, the latest announced death toll in war-torn Syria was 5,914.

While the first earthquake that rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 measured a magnitude of 7.7, the second one - that followed just a little later - measured 7.6. Since then, according to the AFAD, the region has felt over 9,000 aftershocks.

Almost 240,000 rescue personnel, including volunteers, are working day in and day out in the 11 quake-hit provinces in Turkey. Casualty numbers are rising as search operations continue. Despite a series of stunning rescue works, there have been no reports of survivors being rescued in recent days.

In Turkey alone, over 500,000 people have been evacuated from the disaster area and at least 173,000 buildings have potentially collapsed or been severely damaged, with millions of survivors taking refuge in temporary shelters or hotels and public facilities.

The recent disaster has affected some 20 million people in Turkey, while the UN says at least 8.8 million Syrians have been affected. Compared to its neighbor, less information has come from Syria where scores of people were already living in precarious conditions after nearly a decade of civil war.

While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to complete the reconstruction of houses within a year, experts have urged authorities to prioritize safety over speed.

The latest earthquakes even leveled buildings that were meant to withstand tremors.