Ankara: Over 1,700 people have died after three powerful earthquakes jolted Turkey and Syria within the space of 12 hours. The death toll is likely to rise, with search and rescue operations under way across the region. Large number of buildings have collapsed and it is feared large number of people could be trapped in the rubble.
Three big earthquakes – of 7.8, 7.6 and 6.0 magnitude – hit Turkey on Monday killing more than 1,700 people and injuring thousands. The deaths and destruction are in Turkey and neighbouring Syria. The last two earthquakes hit within 12 hours after the first devastating quake of 7.8 magnitude.
India, other countries rushing assistance
India and other countries are rushing aid. PM Narendra Modi reached out to quake hit-Turkey. “India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy,” the PM said. The government has decided to send rescue teams, medical teams and relief material.
Official figures from Turkey say 1,014 people were killed there, 5,383 were wounded, and 2,818 buildings had collapsed.
Syria’s health ministry said that over 326 people had been killed and 1,042 injured. In addition to those figures, the White Helmets rescue service in the north-west of Syria in areas not controlled by the government put their death toll at 221, giving a total of 1,561 confirmed dead.
Search and rescue teams from EU mobilised
Over 10 search and rescue teams from the European Union have been mobilised following earthquake, a spokesperson for the European Commission said. Besides India, the US, UK, Israel, Russia and China are among other nations to have made public offers of help.
One of most powerful quakes in at least a century
The first quake struck as people slept, and measured magnitude 7.8, one of the most powerful quakes in the region in at least a century. It was felt as far away as Cyprus and Cairo.
The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said preliminary data showed the second large quake measured 7.7 magnitude, and was 67km north-east of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, at a depth of 2 km. There have been more than a 100 smaller aftershocks registered by seismologists.
The first quake had its epicentre near Gaziantep, and it has damaged the historic castle there which had been in use since Roman times.
Turkey’s armed forces have set up an air corridor to enable search and rescue teams to reach the zone affected.
Nuclear power plant not damaged
Turkey’s Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which is under construction, was not damaged by the earthquake.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has appealed for increased funding for humanitarian aid in Syria, saying that many people in the north-west of the country have already been displaced up to 20 times, and that medical care in the region was strained beyond capacity, even before this tragedy.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was worried about areas in Turkey from which there had been no news following the earthquake.
Historic fortress of Gaziantep in Turkey destroyed
The historic fortress of Gaziantep, located in the southern Turkish province of Gaziantep, collapsed on Monday as a result of an earthquake, Turkish newspaper Posta reported.
Gaziantep Castle was first built as a watchtower in the Roman period in II-IV centuries A.D. Later, it was expanded and took the current circle form in the VI century A.D (527-565 A.D) during the period of Byzantine Emperor Justinianus. The castle consists of 12 towers, while its circumference reaches 1200 meters (3,937 feet).
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