Turkey and Syria experience destructive earthquakes, leading to key developments.

The death toll continues to rise following the devastating Feb. 6 earthquakes that struck parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria. The United Nations has launched an appeal for $1 billion in funds to help humanitarian agencies in Turkey assist millions of people affected by the earthquakes. As of Thursday, Turkey’s disaster management agency, AFAD, reported 36,187 deaths, pushing the combined reported death toll for Turkey and Syria to 39,875. A 17-year-old girl was rescued Thursday morning, 248 hours after the original quake, from the debris of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, a city located near the epicenter. The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Syria said the country’s death toll is likely to rise further as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. Around 4,200 personnel from 15 countries have left the region, while 8,000 rescue and aid workers from 74 countries remain to assist Turkish teams in their efforts. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has described the earthquakes in Turkey as the military alliance’s worst natural disaster. Sweden will hold an international donor conference in March to help aid in the recovery. The death toll from the Feb. 6 earthquakes that struck parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria continues to increase, with AFAD reporting 36,187 deaths in Turkey and the combined reported death toll for Turkey and Syria now at 39,875. A 17-year-old girl was rescued Thursday morning from the debris of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras. The United Nations has launched an appeal for $1 billion in funds to help humanitarian agencies in Turkey assist millions of people affected by the earthquakes. 8,000 rescue and aid workers from 74 countries remain in the region, while 4,200 personnel from 15 countries have left. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has described the earthquakes in Turkey as the military alliance’s worst natural disaster, and Sweden will hold an international donor conference in March to help aid in the recovery.