Rescuers dig through rubble as Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 7,800

Cennet Sucu is rescued from the rubble of collapsed hospital, following an earthquake in Iskenderun, Turkey February 6, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

ANTAKYA, Turkey (Reuters) -The death toll of a devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and Syria jumped to more than 7,800 people on Tuesday as rescuers worked against time in harsh winter conditions to dig survivors out of the rubble of collapsed buildings.

As the scale of the disaster became ever more apparent, the death toll looked likely to rise considerably. One U.N. official said thousands of children may have died.