TURKEY EARTHQUAKE. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on the night of Monday, February 6. The earthquake killed more than 600 people in the two countries according to the provisional assessment.
The essential
- A magnitude 7.8 earthquake shook Turkey and Syria overnight from Sunday to Monday February 6, at 4:17 a.m. (2:17 a.m. French time).
- The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded in southeastern Turkey about sixty kilometers from the Syrian border, in the district of Pazarcik.
- The toll of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria is still provisional but already very heavy. Authorities count more than 650 dead in the two countries.
- Rescue teams are deployed and several nations have provided international support. The European Union has announced the dispatch of rescue teams.
- Follow live news related to the earthquake in Turkey.
Live
10:06 – Where was the epicenter of the earthquake in Turkey?
The epicenter of the earthquake in Turkey was in Turkish territory but only 60 kilometers from the border with Syria, which explains why the tremors caused so much damage in both countries. According to the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS), the epicenter was in the district of Pazarcik, in southeastern Turkey and 17.9 kilometers deep. The force of the earthquake was such that the tremors are felt as far away as Lebanon and Cyprus.
09:57 – The human toll is getting heavier
Since this morning the human toll of the earthquake in Turkey has increased. According to the latest figures given by Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay, Turkey has 284 dead and 2,323 injured. In Syria, in the regions controlled by the regime, the toll is 237 dead and more than 600 wounded, figures to which must be added the wounded in the Syrian rebel zones where there are 147 dead and 340 wounded.
09:53 – International aid on the way after the earthquake in Turkey
The European Union has announced the dispatch of rescue teams to Turkey after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred overnight. “We have activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (…) Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way,” warned the European official on Twitter. France and Germany have also announced the sending of aid to Turkey.
The earthquake whose epicenter was recorded near Nurdağı, in southern Turkey, claimed many victims according to the provisional assessment. At least 600 dead have already been counted in Turkey and Syria, respectively 287 and more than 350. The provisional reports announced by the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Turkish Vice President also report more than 600 and 2,300 injured in the two countries. . Searches are still ongoing under the rubble. The number of collapsed buildings, at least a thousand in Turkey, suggests that the human toll could increase.
Since the earthquake, Turkey and Syria have been racing against time to find as many victims as possible trapped under the rubble. On site, all the rescue teams are deployed. “All our teams are on alert. We have issued a level four alarm,” Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu told the channel. Haberturk launching an appeal for international assistance. “Nations have already responded to this appeal, such as Italy, which has offered the help of Civil Protection. In France, Emmanuel Macron assured on Twitter that the country “stands ready to provide emergency aid to the populations on the spot” Same reaction from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. It is also the whole of the European Union which reacted by announcing the dispatch of relief to Turkey.
Turkey is in one of the most active seismic zones in the world, but the earthquake on February 6 is one of the strongest recorded in recent years and could be one of the deadliest. This earthquake is the largest recorded since that of August 17, 1999 which caused the death of 17,000 people.