More than 20,000 people are now confirmed to have died in a disastrous earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria early on Monday.

Türkiye’s disaster and emergency management authority reported that at least 17,134 people have died in the country, while in Syria, the death toll stands at 3,317 deaths.

Both countries experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that reduced buildings to rubles, trapping many families underneath them.

Search and rescue missions are facing the challenge of fuel and truck shortages, blocked roads, and slow access to relief materials.

The Turkish president is facing growing scrutiny from citizens frustrated with the slow response of the rescue effort.

“It is not possible to be prepared for such a disaster. We will not leave any of our citizens uncared for,” said Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The earthquake hit southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria, leaving many dead and millions injured.

Meanwhile, six UN lorries carrying aid have now crossed the border from Turkey to Syria, marking the first international relief reaching Syria.

Over 1,200 people have been reported to have died and thousands more wounded in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel on Monday.

The New York Times reported that millions of people in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel were jolted from their beds after the 7.8 magnitude quake hit early Monday.The death toll is expected to rise.

NPG had earlier reported that at least 200 people were killed and millions displaced from their homes.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck at 4:17 a.m., had its epicentre around 33km from Gaziantep, a major Turkish city.

The earthquake, reportedly 18km (11 miles) deep, generated a very strong 6.7 aftershock that caused vibrations in Lebanon and Cyprus.

Multiple buildings had collapsed as a result of the earthquake, trapping numerous individuals beneath the rubble.

According to reports, 200 people have died in Syria, 76 people have died in Turkey, and the death toll is expected to rise.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said search and rescue teams have been ‘immediately dispatched to the areas affected by the earthquake.”