More than 15 thousand deaths have already been confirmed since the devastating earthquakes that shook Turkey and neighboring Syria at the beginning of the week.

Critics in Turkey say the response of emergency services was too slow and the government was ill-prepared.

In Syria, aid efforts have been complicated by years of conflict that have destroyed the nation's infrastructure.

At the same time, the wave of solidarity is growing, which includes volunteers, material aid and financial resources, including from Bulgaria.

The number of dead in Turkey is already over 12,300, and the wounded are around 63,000. Over 6,000 buildings were destroyed.

On the other side of the border, in Syria, the dead are more than 2,600. According to government data, nearly 300,000 Syrians have been affected, with most having to leave their homes. 180 places have been allocated for emergency accommodation. Thousands of people remain unaccounted for.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan acknowledged the government had encountered some problems but said the situation was now "under control". He rejected the accusations and said unity was needed after the disaster.

Turkish authorities said they were working to open two more border crossings on the border with Syria to help international aid reach the country.

The European Union has announced that it will provide 6.5 million euros of its own funds to Turkey and Syria, and will organize a donor conference in March.

Temperatures in the earthquake-affected areas remain very low, in some areas even negative.

Thousands of people have taken shelter in their cars or tents as they are afraid or forbidden to return to their homes.

The death toll from Monday's earthquakes is expected to rise sharply as rescue efforts near the 72-hour mark, which disaster experts consider the most likely period for saving lives.

Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic is expected to visit the affected areas in Turkey today.

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/BNR