Heart Rending: Grieving father holds 15-year-old daughter’s hand after she died in the quake: Death toll now more than 8,000

Heartbreaking photos show a father in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, clutching the lifeless hand of his daughter after she was crushed under concrete in Monday’s devastating earthquake.

Mesut Hancer, sitting hunched amid the ruins, can be seen holding onto his 15-year-old child while her body remains trapped beneath the rubble.

Mesut Hancer holds the hand of his 15-year-old daughter Irmak, who died in the earthquake in Kahramanmaras, close to the quake’s epicentre, the day after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country’s southeast, on February 7, 2023. – Rescuers in Turkey and Syria braved frigid weather, aftershocks and collapsing buildings, as they dug for survivors buried by an earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people. Some of the heaviest devastation occurred near the quake’s epicentre between Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep, a city of two million where entire blocks now lie in ruins under gathering snow. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Broken glass, destroyed furniture and twisted steel surround the family, as workers conduct a colossal rescue mission in near freezing temperatures.

Nearly 8,000 people have now been confirmed dead and some 40,000 others injured following Monday’s quake, according to officials in Turkey and Syria.

Survivors are still being pulled from the rubble more than 48 hours after the quake hit, crushing thousands under their homes.

The rescue of a 14-year-old boy in Kahramanmaras broadcast live on air on Tuesday offered a glimmer of hope that others will survive, but the death toll continues to climb as search teams navigate blocked roads, collapsed infrastructure and violent aftershocks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month long state of emergency in 10 provinces as rescuers race against time in Turkey and Syria following Monday’s devastating earthquake.

As support arrives from around the world, the scale of the humanitarian crisis is becoming clearer and aid agencies are warning of the difficulties in both reaching survivors and treating the injured.

Rising death toll: At least 7,926 people have now been confirmed dead and nearly 40,000 injured following Monday’s quake, according to officials in Turkey and Syria. Agencies have said those numbers could rise significantly as many people remain trapped under the rubble.

Rescue efforts: Countries and organizations from across the globe have responded to the crisis with money, equipment and boots on the ground. Doctors Without Borders says it has 500 staff working in Syria — some of whom lost family members in the quake. NATO said its members are sending more than 1,400 emergency response personnel, and a US rescue team is expect to land in the Turkish city of Adana on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Mexico’s beloved rescue dogs are also headed to Turkey.

Miracle rescue: A newborn baby girl has been rescued from the rubble of her home in northern Syria. Her umbilical cord was still attached to her mother when she was found, a relative told Agence France-Presse. Her mother is believed to have died after giving birth.

Tough conditions: Extreme winter weather is impacting rescue efforts. Aftershocks are also a potential hazard — at least 125 measuring 4.0 or greater have occurred since the 7.8 magnitude quake struck southern Turkey on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey. Though their frequency and magnitude are decreasing, 5.0 to 6.0+ aftershocks are still possible and bring a risk of additional damage to compromised structures and a continued threat to rescue teams and survivors.

Widespread destruction: Thousands of buildings collapsed in the two nations and aid agencies are warning of “catastrophic” repercussions in northwest Syria, where millions of vulnerable and displaced people were already relying on humanitarian support. Satellite images show the extent of the damage in the Turkish towns of Islahiye and Nurdagi near the quake’s epicenter.

Humanitarian catastrophe: The World Health Organization estimates up to 23 million people could be affected by the earthquake. The situation is particularly dire in Syria, where the UN says nearly 70% of the population was in need of humanitarian assistance before the quake — an issue that has only been compounded by the tragedy. The damage caused a temporary disruption to the UN’s cross-border aid into Syria, with UN humanitarian teams exploring all avenues to reach those in need. Meanwhile, hospitals in war-hit Syria are “absolutely overloaded,” UNICEF’s representative in Aleppo said.