Powerful Earthquake Hits Turkey, Killing Hundreds of People

VIVA – The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said a powerful earthquake with 7,8 magnitude hits Turkey on Monday, February 6, 2022.

The quake occurred at 4 am local time, at a depth of 17.9 km (11 miles) east of Nurdagi, Gaziantep province. According to the latest information as quoted from Apnews, at least 234 people died and hundreds injured. Nurdagi is located along the Turkey-Syria border, and the quake was felt in several countries across the region, including Syria and Lebanon.

According to the country’s disaster management agency AFAD. In neighboring Syria, at least 111 people died and more than 500 were injured, Syrian State TV reported citing the Ministry of Health. The deaths were reported in Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, and Tartus, as reported by CNN world.

Dozens of people are trapped under rubble, according to the “White Helmets” group, officially known as Syria Civil Defense, a humanitarian organization formed to rescue people injured in conflict. Much of northwestern Syria, which borders Turkey, is controlled by anti-government forces amid a bloody civil war that began in 2011.

The quake struck before daybreak when residents were likely asleep and unprepared for the impact. A video from Turkey shared on social media showed dozens of collapsed buildings, while frightened residents huddled on the darkened streets amid the chaos. Rescue workers can be seen conducting search-and-rescue operations by flashlight.

In addition, the USGS also said that there was an aftershock of magnitude 6,7. "Strong aftershocks have been felt in central Turkey, where another magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck at a depth of 9.9 kilometers about 11 minutes after the first earthquake," the USGS stated.