The Brain and Mental Health:

 

Updates on the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria include hundreds of fatalities.

The death toll from a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck near the Turkish-Syrian border has risen to hundreds, with thousands more injured. The quake hit near the city of Van in eastern Turkey on Friday, shaking buildings and triggering landslides in the mountainous region. At least 162 people have died in the region and over 1,900 have been injured. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble. The quake was felt as far away as Tehran, Iraq and Lebanon. In Syria, at least 35 people were killed and hundreds wounded in the city of Aleppo. The Turkish Red Crescent has deployed hundreds of aid workers to the region to help the victims. Rescue efforts have been hampered by bad weather, with heavy rains and snowfall making it difficult for aid workers to reach those in need. The region has also been hit by aftershocks, measuring up to 6.0 on the Richter scale. The quake is the deadliest to strike Turkey since 1999, when a 7.6 magnitude quake hit the western city of Izmit, killing more than 17,000 people. The Turkish government has declared a state of emergency in the region and has promised to provide assistance to survivors. The government has urged people to remain calm and has promised to provide shelter and food for those affected by the earthquake. This is a devastating disaster for both Turkey and Syria. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.