US search, rescue team departs for earthquake-hit Türkiye

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - A US search and rescue team departed Tuesday bound for earthquake-stricken parts of southeastern Türkiye to join efforts to search for survivors as the death toll continues to climb.

The American team includes 161 personnel from emergency response departments in Los Angeles and Virginia, 12 dogs and more than 170 pounds of specialized equipment, USAID's Bureau for International Assistance said on Twitter. They are set to join USAID personnel already working on the ground.

The death toll in Türkiye from Monday's Kahramanmaras-centered massive earthquakes has risen to 5,434, according to the national disaster agency, with more than 31,000 injured.

Other provinces affected by the tremors are Gaziantep, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis.

The quakes also affected neighboring Syria where 1,622 people were killed and hundreds injured.