Cold weather threatens lives of survivors

As rescue workers in Turkey and Syria continue the search for survivors, they face a formidable enemy: hypothermia.

Earthquake-hit cities like Malatya, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, Idlib and Aleppo face the cold, rain and even some snow, as temperatures dip near or below zero.

Experts say the search and rescue workers are running out of time in Turkey, as weather conditions threaten the lives of survivors under the rubble. They add that people could be victims of hypothermia even if the temperatures stay above zero.

Meteorology engineer and disaster management specialist Mikdat Kadioglu told Turkish media that rescue workers will need to rush, as people under the rubble may not survive the general "golden" rule during severe weather: a 72-hour rescue window.

“They might only have 24 hours,” he said.

In Syria, aid agencies are warning of a humanitarian catastrophe after the earthquake halted the flow of critical UN aid from Turkey to rebel-held areas.

Freezing weather conditions have also forced many internally displaced Syrians to seek refuge in open fields and under trees.

With many now stuck in tents, some NGOs say their biggest concern is people dying from the freezing temperatures and potentially suffocating from toxic fumes as Syrians burn fires to stay warm.

"We are already receiving reports of casualties among children and the elderly falling ill and dying because of the cold," said Ahmed Mahmoud, Islamic Relief’s country director for Syria.