Ankara/Damascus, 6 February 2023 (GNP): The southeastern part of Turkey bordering Syria was jolted with a 7.8 earthquake magnitude at 01:17 GMT this morning. The depth of the earthquake was 20 kilometers
President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed 1000 deaths. It is feared that the death toll may rise as the rescue and relief operations are underway by the civil administration. Turkish security forces are also providing immediate help and relief to their compatriots.
While in war-torn Syria, 460 people are reported to die in this earthquake. Deaths and casualties are reported in both government-controlled areas and areas held by rebels fighting with the Syrian government.
Also Read: PTA blocks Wikipedia across Pakistan
The epicenter of this earthquake was the Pazarcik district in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras.
Ten Turkish cities, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir, and Kilis, ate badly affected by this earthquake. This is said by the Turkish Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu.
At least 5,383 people were injured in Turkey, while 1000 Syrians were also injured in this earthquake. The intensity of the tremor was felt in Lebanon and Cyprus.
Turkey lies in the world’s most active tectonic zone. In 1999, more than 17,000 people lost their lives in a similar earthquake in the northwest of the country.
International aid agencies and relief organizations feared much death toll for both countries, Turkey and Syria. But they are more anxious about war-ravaged Syria and its people after this earthquake.