The World Health Organization (WHO) has called the earthquakes that occurred more than a week ago in Turkey and Syria the worst natural disaster in Europe in the last century, Le Monde reported. 

"We are witnessing the worst natural disaster in the WHO European region for a century and we are still learning about its magnitude," Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, told journalists.

Kluge also said the health body had "initiated the largest deployment of emergency medical teams" in the 75-year history of the WHO European region. "Twenty-two emergency medical teams have arrived in Turkey so far," Kluge noted, adding they would integrate into "Turkey's ongoing health response".

About 80,000 people have been hospitalized, according to Turkish authorities, a huge strain on the country's health care system, which was also hit hard by the earthquake. 

On February 6, the province of Kahramanmarash, located in the southeast of Turkey, was hit by earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 at intervals of nine hours. Underground shocks, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, were felt in 10 provinces and neighboring countries, including Syria.