26 Goal staff dead as death toll from earthquakes tops 21,000

Rescuers supported by heavy machines search a destroyed building in Nurdagi, southeastern Turkey on Thursday. Picture: Petros Giannakouris/AP

Twenty-six staff of the Irish aid agency Goal have been confirmed dead in the Turkey and Syria earthquakes, as the death toll now stands at more than 21,000.

The agency said on Thursday night that its teams are still working around the clock to account for a number of staff, while also supporting the overall search and rescue mission.