Death toll from Turkey, Syria earthquake tops 47,000

A destroyed building leans on a neighbouring house following the earthquake in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A destroyed building leans on a neighbouring house following the earthquake in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- The death toll from the massive earthquake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6 continues to rise as more bodies are retrieved from the rubble of demolished buildings. A magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck the already battered province of Hatay this week damaged or demolished more buildings, compounding the devastation.

Here's a look at the key developments Thursday from the aftermath of the earthquake.

Death toll tops 47,000

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has raised the number of fatalities in Turkey from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake to 43,556.

The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria now stands at 47,244.

In an interview with state broadcaster TRT late Wednesday, Soylu said teams were sifting through two buildings in hard-hit Hatay province in search of further bodies. Search operations elsewhere have come to an end, he said.

Meanwhile, at least 164,000 buildings have either collapsed or are so damaged that they need to be demolished, said Murat Kurum, Turkey's minister for the environment and urbanization.

Syrians shelter in tents and cars

The local civil defense in northwestern Syria, known locally as The White Helmets, said Thursday that thousands of children and tens of thousands of families have taken shelter in cars and tents "fearing they would face a repeat of the earthquake."

In government-held Syria, a first plane from Bahrain loaded with aid landed in Damascus. The Gulf monarchy is among many Arab countries that in recent years have tried to thaw relations with President Bashar Assad, after shunning him in 2011 for his brutal crackdown on protesters.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt, two key U.S. allies in the region, have also delivered aid.

photo Rubbles from destroyed buildings are scattered following the earthquake in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
photo A destroyed building leans on a neighbouring house following the earthquake in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
photo Men ride a motorcycle past destroyed buildings in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
photo A mannequin dressed as Santa Claus stands inside an apartment of a destroyed building following the earthquake in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
photo A man rides a motorcycle past debris from destroyed buildings in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
photo A man walks up the staircase of a partially damaged apartments block next to a destroyed building following the earthquake in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake and aftershocks rocked the region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)