Earthquake death toll surpasses 11,000 in Turkey and Syria

The death toll from the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria has reached more than 11,000 according to authorities.

In Turkey, the death toll has risen to more than 8,000, with nearly 50,000 others reported injured, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, during a visit to disaster areas near the epicenter of Monday's earthquake. 

In Syria, more than 2,500 people have been reported killed across the government-controlled areas and rebel-held regions, officials said.

In Turkey, search and rescue crews extracted a family from the wreckage. Four members of the same family, including twin babies, were pulled from the rubble of a building destroyed by the devastating earthquake. 

Aid agencies and emergency workers say the death toll is likely to increase further with many people still trapped under the rubble, and freezing weather conditions hampering rescue efforts.