Inside Aleppo: BBC sees devastation after quake

Only devastation remains wrong Aleppo, a Syrian metropolis that was already dealing with the effects of a years-long civilian warfare earlier the deadly earthquake deed connected Monday. The BBC is 1 of the archetypal planetary outlets to study from the government-controlled city, wherever implicit 400 radical person died.

We travelled to the affected parts of the war-torn metropolis connected Friday with the Syrian government's permission.

As we entered the damaged neighbourhoods, it was hard to separate betwixt the demolition caused by this country's 12-year agelong civilian war, and the devastation caused by the earthquake.

We saw residents waiting astir successful the acold squares surrounded by debris, galore wrapped successful blankets and coats.

In the eastbound neighbourhood of al-Shaar, the dependable of diggers rang retired against the backdrop of multi-storey buildings flattened to the ground.

"We cognize idiosyncratic successful that gathering who lived connected the archetypal floor... helium didn't person capable clip to get retired of his house," 1 pistillate told us, gesturing towards a heap of rubble.

"The gathering collapsed portion helium was inactive successful there. He died alongside his woman and children," she said.

Only 1 of his daughters was saved from nether the rubble and is successful the infirmary now.

The quake has brought much misery to a state already gripped by crisis.

The decease toll crossed authorities and rebel-held areas has reached astir 4,000, with much than 7,000 radical reported injured oregon unaccounted for.

Much of Aleppo was destroyed successful the civilian war, which broke retired successful 2011 erstwhile a peaceful uprising against President Bashar al-Assad turned violent.

Despite efforts to rebuild immoderate parts of the erstwhile cosmopolitan hub, the metropolis inactive bears the wounds of the warfare betwixt the Russian-backed Syrian authorities and rebel groups.

Now, rescue teams person to propulsion down adjacent immoderate of the buildings inactive standing, retired of fearfulness they mightiness illness aboriginal on.

"Two buildings adjacent maine came down; they each contained astir 30 flats, and astatine slightest 5 radical were surviving successful each flat," connected antheral told us.

"There are astir 60 oregon 70 radical inactive trapped nether the rubble; lone 4 oregon 5 radical got out," helium said.

Rescue efforts person been hampered by the instability of the buildings near standing.

"As you tin spot the buildings are shaking portion we enactment to prevention people. We can't person that nether planetary wellness and information guidelines. So we've evacuated the residents" an service serviceman told us.

"There are a ample numbers of radical successful shelters. Most of them are radical who were evacuated due to the fact that their buildings are not safe," helium continued.

Thousands of residents from the worst-hit eastbound districts of Aleppo person been forced into shelters.

After years of warfare and present a hugely destructive earthquake, what comes adjacent for them is unknown.

Additional reporting by Merlyn Thomas