Earthquake: Death toll surpasses 21,000 as Families of 263 children rescued cannot be reached

•  Secondary disaster looms

More than 21,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, officials said.

Rescue workers are racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings. Some heart-warming successes were seen in Turkey, but an aid group said hope is fading in northwest Syria.

Survivors, many of whom are homeless, could face “a secondary disaster” as cold and snow lead to “worsening and horrific conditions,” the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Meanwhile, the families of 263 children who were pulled out of the rubble in Turkey cannot be reached, the country’s Ministry of Family and Social Services said Friday.

Among the rescued children whose families could not be reached, 162 children are continuing to be treated at the hospitals, while 101 children were transferred to the relevant units of the ministry and taken under institutional care after their treatment.

The ministry announced that 18 children have been handed over to their families after identity checks and verification.

Climbing death toll: More than 21,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria, and rescue workers are now racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing winter conditions.

At least 78,124 people were injured across both countries, according to authorities.

Credit: CNN