Strength of 7.8
Dozens dead after two major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
A man searches collapsed buildings in Diyarbakir, southern Turkey. Two violent earthquakes shook the south-east of Turkey in quick succession early Monday morning.
© Depo Photos/AP/DPA
The severe earthquake in Gaziantep in south-eastern Turkey on Monday morning killed numerous people. Dozens of people were also killed in neighboring Syria.
According to media reports, at least 38 people died in the earthquake in south-east Turkey. Numerous people were injured, the DHA news agency reported on Monday, citing local authorities. At least 15 people have died in Sanliurfa province, DHA reported, citing Governor Salih Ayhan. The governor of Malatya province, Hulusi Sahin, reported 23 deaths.
Two strong earthquakes in south-east Turkey
Two strong earthquakes shook southeast Turkey early Monday morning. According to the Turkish civil protection authority Afad, the larger quake had a magnitude of 7.4. The epicenter was therefore in the province of Kahramanmaras near the Syrian border. The extent of the disaster was not yet foreseeable. According to official figures, at least nine provinces in south-eastern Turkey are affected.
Syria also affected by earthquakes
According to the government, the severe earthquake near the Turkish-Syrian border claimed 42 lives in Syria alone. 200 people were injured in the provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia, Syrian Deputy Health Minister Ahmed Dhamiriyeh told the state news agency Sana.
According to Sana, buildings collapsed in numerous cities. Photos showed rescue teams carrying people away on stretchers. According to Sana, the head of the National Earthquake Center Raed Ahmed said this was the strongest earthquake in Syria since 1995. The rescue organization White Helmets spoke of dozens of deaths. “We are responding with everything we can to rescue those who are under the rubble,” said group leader Raed Al Saleh. “The situation is very tragic,” said a member of the group.