Another powerful tremor has struck Turkey near the Syrian border – this comes after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey that was recorded only a few hours ago.
The combined death toll from the two large earthquakes in Turkey has reached 1,400 people as of Monday. Official figures expect a sharp increase in the numbers as many victims are still trapped under the rubble. Figures from Turkey say 912 people were killed, over 5,383 were injured, and 2,818 buildings collapsed. Meanwhile, according to Syria’s health ministry, more than 326 people had been dead and 1,042 injured.
In addition, rescue services in the northwest of Syria, the death toll climbed to 221, these were from areas that are not controlled by the government, which brings the total number of casualties to 1,459.
7.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Turkey: Aftermath
The US Geological Survey said the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep.
The epicentre of the quake was in the Pazarcik district of Kahramanmaras province. Turkish Interior Minister Suleymon Soylu said ten cities were affected: Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis.
Among the buildings that were destroyed was Gaziantep Castle, a historical landmark & tourist attraction that had stood for more than 2,000 years.
The earthquake was so powerful that it was felt in Greenland, Lebanon and Cyprus.
“I was writing something, and just all of a sudden, the entire building started shaking and yes, I didn’t really know what to feel,” Mohamad El Chamaa, a student in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, told the BBC.
“I was right next to the window, so I was just scared that they might shatter. It went on for four-five minutes, and it was pretty horrific. It was mind-blowing,” he said.
Unfortunately, Turkey lies in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. in 1999, more than 17,000 people were killed by a disastrous quake in the northwest region of the country.
Turkish seismologists estimated the strength of the 2023 quake to be 7.7 magnitude. They said that a second tremor hit the region just minutes later.
This massive earthquake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, including a 7.5 magnitude tremor that jolted the region in the middle of a search and rescue effort on Monday afternoon. Several witnesses have claimed to feel the 7.6 earthquake in Turkey as far apart as the Turkish capital Ankara and the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Irbil.
Authorities have warned that the earthquake in Turkey might release another strong aftershock.
Keep an eye out for more updates on the situation.
