Istanbul, 9 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) — The death toll from earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria has climbed above 20,000, a tally that is expected to rise further as crews comb the rubble of thousands of toppled buildings.

Turkey's disaster agency raised the country's confirmed death toll to 17,134, up from 16,546 just a few hours earlier.

The number of lives lost in neighbouring Syria stands at 3,317.

More than 75,000 people were injured in the two successive powerful earthquakes that struck the region early on Monday.

Rescue workers have been fighting against the clock ever since, but with every passing hour the chances of finding survivors under the rubble decrease.