A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck southern Turkey early Monday and was felt by residents of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Armenia, killing hundreds and injuring thousands in Turkey. Syria, with large numbers of buildings collapsing and dozens trapped under rubble, and residents fleeing on snow-covered streets. Turkish authorities have declared a fourth level of alert, meaning a request for international assistance. The Turkish Army will assist in the relief efforts in the affected areas
Key points
Turkey’s biggest earthquake in a century. Over 10,000 people and families were killed and injured under the rubble
The death toll from the earthquake in the south of the country has risen to 2,300 and 9,700 have been injured, Turkish Vice President Fuad Akte said.
At a press conference organized by Akte in Ankara, he said:
- Difficulties are being faced in providing aid to the affected areas.
- So far, we have recorded more than 9,700 injuries due to the earthquake.
- There is no danger of the dam collapsing due to the earthquake.
- The death toll from the earthquake has reached 2,300.
- Air navigation has returned to all Turkish airports except Antakya Airport
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey on Monday morning, killing more than a thousand people in the country and hundreds in neighboring Syria, officials confirmed, amid U.S. estimates that damages from the disaster could exceed one billion. Dollars.
Images showed widespread destruction, but rescue teams scrambled to the ruins of buildings to free survivors trapped under the rubble.
The earthquake that struck the Kahramanmaras region, close to the Syrian border, occurred in countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Israel, but the regions were hit hard by the disaster.
After the first earthquake, another new earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 was recorded in northeastern Turkey on Monday afternoon.
As is common in such disasters, the region suffered other aftershocks, but the biggest losses were recorded in southern Turkey and central Syria.
A change in the rotation of the Earth’s center is related to a destructive earthquake
What do we know so far?
- At least 1,121 people were killed and more than 7,000 injured in Turkey alone, according to the country’s disaster management agency.
- In Syria, 371 people were killed and 1,089 injured in Latakia, Hama, Aleppo and Tartus.
- In areas not under government control in Syria, the earthquake killed 380 people and injured over 1,000.
- Hundreds of Syrians are still trapped under the rubble, amid frantic efforts to pull them out.
- The earthquake was the strongest recorded in the region in decades.
- According to experts, the region is located on a belt that is more prone to earthquakes
