A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Türkiye early Monday morning, followed by several powerful aftershocks that were felt all across the region. The jolts caused widespread destruction, knocking down multiple residential buildings, according to disturbing footage captured by survivors.
The most powerful jolt, measured at 7.8 by USGS and 7.4 by Turkish disaster management agency, happened around 4:17 am local time, and was centered some 33 kilometers northeast from Gaziantep, a major provincial capital with a population of over 2 million people.
There was no immediate estimate of total casualties, but according to Turkish media reports scores are feared killed, as dozens of buildings were damaged or completely destroyed across ten provinces, including Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Osmaniye and Malatya, with their residents trapped under the rubble.
• 7.4 magnitude quake struck at 4.17 a.m.• Occurred at a depth of 7 kilometers (4.3 miles)• 5 people killed, 34 buildings destroyed in southern Osmaniye provincePowerful earthquake jolts Türkiye’s southeastern provinces https://t.co/QyDg058lv4pic.twitter.com/4xllIA4Mt0
— ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) February 6, 2023
Turkish authorities declared the highest level of emergency, with all rescue services and first responders mobilized to aid the affected provinces, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his condolences to all victims, confirming that search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to affected areas, while all other government institutions are coordinating their response.
Across the border in Syria, several residential buildings reportedly collapsed in Aleppo as well as the city of Hama, according to local media. The quake was so powerful that shaking was felt all across the region, as far as Israel, Lebanon and Cyprus.
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