Hospitals in Syria ‘overwhelmed’ after earthquake

The healthcare system in Syria is "overwhelmed" by the number of people in need of medical attention, especially as some hospitals have been damaged by the quake, Mazen Kiwara, Middle East regional director for the Syrian American Medical Society, told Al Jazeera.

Kiwara said his team had to evacuate a maternity hospital in Afrin and reported at least five deaths, including that of a pregnant woman.

"Right now we have a crisis, in addition to very bad weather conditions and collapsed buildings," he said.

"The effort should be focused on the humanitarian response, especially in shelter and health to protect the population of more than 1.5 million people in northwest Syria alone."

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria today, killing more than 500 people and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed across the region, triggering searches for survivors in the rubble.