ANKARA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday during his visit to the worst-hit region after a massive earthquake that the death toll in his country has surged to 8,574, bringing the total fatalities with neighboring Syria to over 11,000.

According to local authorities and rescuers, more than 45,000 people in the two countries have been injured due to the quake on Monday.