The death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has now reached 8,000 people, officials have confirmed. 

The quake began early Monday morning and measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. 

The epicentre was the Turkish city of Gaziantep and there are fears that the death toll could climb as high as 20,000 people in the days ahead. 

“Of course, the situation has been difficult,” Turkey-based journalist Ylenia Gostoli told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“Rescuers have been searching through the night - this is the second night now.

“The fear is now that time is running out to find survivors; although, we have also seen images of miracle rescues through the night. 

“The conditions are freezing, the temperatures have dropped. 

“There are many people who are homeless now; they have either lost their homes or their homes are not safe enough to go back to. 

“People sleep in their cars and try to find food wherever they can.” 

Yesterday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin announced that the Government had donated €2 million in emergency aid to the International Federation of the Red Cross, Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations Syria Cross-Border Humanitarian Fund.

Main image: Search and rescue efforts continue in an apartment destroyed in the earthquake that occurred on the morning of February 6, 2023 in Adana, Turkey. (Credit Image: © Tolga Ildun/ZUMA Press Wire)