Powerful quake rocks Turkey and Syria, kills more than 1,500
On Monday morning, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook wide swathes of Turkey and Syria. It toppled hundreds of buildings and killed more than 1,500 people. Many people were still trapped beneath rubble. The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers search for debris in towns and cities across the region.
Residents on both sides of the border were woken up by the pre-dawn earthquake and rushed out to the street in the middle of a snowy, cold night. Major aftershocks rattled the region, reducing buildings to a pile of pancaked floors.
Residents and rescue workers in many cities tried to find survivors through the tangles and concrete. Turkey’s hospital collapsed and all patients were evacuated to Syria.
One resident in Adana, Turkey said that three buildings were destroyed near his home. Muhammet Fatih Yavus, a journalism student, stated that he was unable to summon the strength to save his home.
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Recep Tayyip Erdan, Turkish President, stated that debris removal efforts continue in many buildings within the earthquake zone. “We don’t know how much the number of injured and dead will go up.” “Hopefully, these terrible days will be behind us in unity und solidarity as a country.
The earthquake, which occurred north of Gaziantep in Turkey, was felt as far as Cairo. Residents of Damascus ran to the streets, while Beirut residents slept soundly in their beds.
It struck a region that had been shaped by over a decade of civil war in Syria. The swath that is affected on the Syrian side is split between the government-held territory of the country and its last opposition-held enclave. This is surrounded with Russian-backed government troops. Millions of Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey since the conflict.
Some 4 million people have been forced from their homes in Syria by the fighting to live in the opposition-held areas. Many of these people live in buildings damaged by past bombardments. The White Helmets, an opposition emergency group, stated that hundreds of families were still trapped in rubble.
Rescue workers reported that hospitals and health facilities were quickly filled with injured patients. According to the SAMS medical organisation, other facilities and hospitals had to be empty, including a maternity hospital.
This region is located on top of major faultlines and is often shaken by earthquakes. In 1999, 18,000 people were killed by powerful earthquakes in northwest Turkey.
Monday’s earthquake was measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at 7.8. A 7.5 magnitude one hit more than 100 km (60 miles) later. Officials from Turkey’s disaster management office said that it was a new earthquake and not an aftershock. However, the effects of the event were not immediately known. Orhan Tatar, a Turkish disaster management agency official, said that hundreds of aftershocks were to be expected following the two temblors.
Reports indicate that thousands of buildings collapsed across a large area, extending from Syria’s cities Hama and Aleppo to Turkey’s Diyarbakir. This stretch extends more than 330 km (200 miles) northeast. Fuat Oktay, Fuat Oktay’s vice president, stated that despite the collapse of a hospital in Iskenderun on the Mediterranean coast, no casualties were immediately known.
Turkey’s television stations aired split screens showing live coverage of rescue efforts in the most affected areas. Two children were pulled alive from the rubble in Kahramanmaras by rescuers. One was seen lying on a snowy ground stretcher.
Numerous countries and NATO offered help, including search-and rescue teams and medical supplies.
Photos of the damage inflicted areas show that it is associated with significant loss of lives. However, bitterly cold temperatures, and the difficulties of working in areas ravaged by civil war will complicate rescue efforts, according to Dr. Steven Godby of Nottingham Trent University, an expert on natural hazards.
Turkey was hit by traffic jams as people tried to flee earthquake-stricken areas. This hindered emergency workers’ efforts to reach affected areas. Residents were urged not to travel on the roads by authorities. Residents were advised to stay in shelters throughout the region, as temperatures hovered around freezing.
Gaziantep’s most famous landmark, the castle that sits atop a hill in central Gaziantep, was severely damaged by the earthquake. Images from the city showed that parts of the walls and watch towers of the fortresses were razed, while others were severely damaged.
As they sought out survivors trapped below, hundreds of Diyarbakir civilians and rescue workers formed lines. They passed down broken concrete, household items, and other debris to search for them.
The quake in northwest Syria added to the problems of the opposition-held enclave. It was centered around the province Idlib and has been under siege since years. There have also been frequent Russian and government airstrikes. It depends on the flow of humanitarian aid from Turkey, which is essential for all its needs, including food and medical supplies.
Syrian Civil Defense, an opposition group, described the situation as “disastrous.”
Osama Abdullhamid was being treated at an Idlib hospital for injuries and said that most of his neighbours had died. According to him, the four-story apartment they shared collapsed as he, his wife, and their three children ran towards the exit. They were protected by a wooden door that fell on them.
He said, “I was reborn. Thank God.”
The bodies of several children who had been killed in conflict in Syria were found in Azmarin, a small town located near the Turkish border. They were wrapped in blankets and brought to a hospital.
According to Syira’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums, the earthquake caused some damage at the Crusader-built Marqab (or Watchtower Castle), on a hill overlooking Mediterranean. A part of the tower and some parts of walls fell.
According to the USGS, the earthquake was located 33 km (20 miles) away from Gaziantep. It was 18 km (11 miles) in depth.
According to Turkey’s disaster management agency, more than 1000 people died in 10 Turkish provinces. There were also some 7,000 injuries. Over 370 people were killed in the government-held areas, while more than 1,000 were injured. According to the White Helmets medical organization, the death toll in rebel-held areas was more than 200. However, the SAMS medical organisation put it at more than 135. Both organizations claimed that hundreds of people were injured.
Huseyin Yayman from Turkey’s Hatay Province said that several members of his family were trapped under the rubble of their homes.
HaberT told him that “there are many other people who are also stuck.”
