Over 44,370 dead from powerful Feb. 6 earthquakes in SE Turkey

At least 44,374 people have died in the two strong earthquakes that jolted southeastern Turkey on Feb. 6, an official from the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said on Sunday.

Yunus Sezer, head of AFAD, said search and rescue work has been completed in nearly 21,000 buildings, adding, "We are now fully focused on debris removal."

At least 9,900 aftershocks have been recorded since the two major quakes, Sezer said.

More than 230,000 personnel are currently working in the field, he added.

Condolences have poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Turkey, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.

More than 1.5 million affected people are hosted in tents, container cities and public guesthouses in the disaster areas, Sezer said, adding 563,000 people were evacuated outside the disaster area.