Turkey, Syria Earthquakes Death Toll Surpasses 33,000

More than 33,000 people have died in relation to two massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria last week, officials said during an update on Sunday (February 12) via the Associated Press.

A combined total of 33,179 have died in relation to the magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria nine hours apart last Monday (February 6), with the death toll expected to continue rise as search efforts continue. A pregnant woman and two children were among the latest reported deaths, officials confirmed.

An investigation has been launched in relation to faulty construction issues with buildings that failed to withstand during the earthquakes with 131 people alleged to have been responsible, according to Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag via the AP. Turkey's construction codes are reported to meet earthquake-engineering standards on paper, however, are rarely enforced, which could have led to the thousands of buildings collapsing.

Two individuals accused of cutting down columns to make extra room for a building that collapsed in Gaziantep province during the earthquakes are among the people accused in the investigation, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Three people were under arrest pending trial, seven others were detained and an additional seven were prohibited from exiting Turkey, according to the justice ministry. Two contractors said to be responsible for the destruction of several buildings located in Adiyaman were arrested at Istanbul Airport while attempting to evacuate the country on Sunday, according to the private DHA news agency and multiple other outlets via the AP.