Death toll from Turkey-Syria earthquakes passes 20,000

The death toll from earthquakes that devastated wide swathes of Turkey and Syria passed 20,000 on Thursday, as hope of finding survivors beneath the rubble of thousands of collapsed buildings diminished. There were 17,134 confirmed deaths in Turkey and another 3,317 in Syria, putting the total at 20,451 – a staggering loss of life that makes it one of the deadliest tremors in decades. More than 75,000 people were injured in the two successive powerful earthquakes that struck the region early on Monday. Countless people were left without homes and unable to access basic goods and services, espe…