<p>The death toll from a<a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/tag/turkey-syria-earthquake" target="_blank"> massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria </a>climbed above 12,000 on Wednesday, as rescuers raced to save survivors trapped under debris in freezing weather.</p>.<p>Officials and medics said 9,057 people had died in Turkey and 2,992 in Syria from Monday's 7.8-magnitude tremor, bringing the total to 12,049.</p>.<p>Nearly 50,000 people were also injured in Turkey and another 5,000 in Syria, officials and rescuers on both sides said.</p>.<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave an update on the casualty figures during a visit to Kahramanmaras, a southern Turkish city at the epicentre of the initial quake.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/waiting-for-our-dead-anger-builds-at-turkeys-quake-response-1189114.html" target="_blank">'Waiting for our dead': Anger builds at Turkey's quake response</a></strong></p>.<p>Television images showed him hugging a weeping, elderly woman and walking through a large crowd towards a Red Crescent humanitarian relief tent.</p>.<p>Facing a tough May 14 re-election, Erdogan pledged to rebuild the damaged regions within a year.</p>.<p>He also appeared to push back against criticism that the government's response to Turkey's worst disaster in decades has been slow.</p>.<p>"Initially there were issues at airports and on the roads, but today things are getting easier and tomorrow it will be easier still," he said in televised remarks.</p>.<p>"We have mobilised all our resources," he added. "The state is doing its job."</p>
<p>The death toll from a<a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/tag/turkey-syria-earthquake" target="_blank"> massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria </a>climbed above 12,000 on Wednesday, as rescuers raced to save survivors trapped under debris in freezing weather.</p>.<p>Officials and medics said 9,057 people had died in Turkey and 2,992 in Syria from Monday's 7.8-magnitude tremor, bringing the total to 12,049.</p>.<p>Nearly 50,000 people were also injured in Turkey and another 5,000 in Syria, officials and rescuers on both sides said.</p>.<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave an update on the casualty figures during a visit to Kahramanmaras, a southern Turkish city at the epicentre of the initial quake.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/waiting-for-our-dead-anger-builds-at-turkeys-quake-response-1189114.html" target="_blank">'Waiting for our dead': Anger builds at Turkey's quake response</a></strong></p>.<p>Television images showed him hugging a weeping, elderly woman and walking through a large crowd towards a Red Crescent humanitarian relief tent.</p>.<p>Facing a tough May 14 re-election, Erdogan pledged to rebuild the damaged regions within a year.</p>.<p>He also appeared to push back against criticism that the government's response to Turkey's worst disaster in decades has been slow.</p>.<p>"Initially there were issues at airports and on the roads, but today things are getting easier and tomorrow it will be easier still," he said in televised remarks.</p>.<p>"We have mobilised all our resources," he added. "The state is doing its job."</p>