Turkey Earthquake: Huge earthquake jolts Turkey, 95 dead, still counting

Turkey Earthquake: On Monday, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria lost about 200 lives, destroyed several houses while people were still sleeping, and caused tremors that were felt as far away as Egypt and the island of Cyprus.

In my 40 years of life, I have never experienced anything like that, said Erdem, a citizen of the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which is close to the earthquake’s epicentre. Erdem refused to reveal his last name.

According to the US agency, the earthquake occurred at 04:17 local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of roughly 17.9 kilometres (11 miles), and 15 minutes later, a 6.7-magnitude aftershock occurred.

https://twitter.com/AsaadHannaa/status/1622415006485692416?s=20&t=5dfuAvK6OnqNtnIBvTzd3A

“We were very strongly shaken at least three times, like a baby in a crib.”

Turkish emergency service authorities first reported 76 deaths. Still, they warned that the number might rise sharply because the accident, which occurred at night, had destroyed dozens of apartment buildings around major cities.

According to the state media and a nearby hospital, at least 111 people died in Syria’s government- and pro-Turkish factions-held northern regions.

Horrific news of tonight’s earthquake in #Turkey & northern #Syria — the damage looks extensive.

The epicenter region is home to millions of refugees and IDPs, many of whom live in tents & makeshift structures. This is the absolute nightmare scenario for them. And it’s winter. pic.twitter.com/oACzWYtWb2

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) February 6, 2023

“The situation is very tragic, tens of buildings have collapsed in the city of Salqin,” a member of the White Helmets rescue organisation said in a video clip on Twitter, referring to a town about 5 km (3 miles) from the Turkish border.

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Homes were “destroyed,” according to the rescuer in the video, which showed a street covered in debris.

Fighting during Syria’s nearly 12-year civil conflict has already caused damage to several buildings in the area.

Witnesses reported that residents of Damascus and the Lebanese cities of Beirut and Tripoli fled their buildings in case they fell down and got into their automobiles.

Erdem claimed that in Turkey’s Gaziantep, residents had fled their shaking homes because they were too afraid to stay.

According to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Twitter, the United States was “profoundly concerned” about the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and actively watched the situation.

I have spoken with Turkish officials to let them know that we are prepared to offer any support that may be required, he said.

Because of its proximity to seismic fault lines, the area is prone to earthquakes.

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