Third Earthquake Strikes Turkey And Syria As Death Toll Rises Over 2,000

Another earthquake of magnitude 7.6 has struck the Elbistan district in Kahramanmaraş Province in southern Turkey. The earthquake also hit Syria. The toll has now risen to more than 1,800.

A man reacts as people search for survivors through the rubble in Diyarbakir, on February 6, 2023.

Source : AFP

Another earthquake of magnitude 6 struck central Turkey on Monday evening, taking the total number of deaths in the region to more than 2,000. The epicentre of the third earthquake, which struck at 3:02 pm local time, was 5 km northeast of Göksun town. The casualties are rising by the hour in the region as rescuers race against time to save lives.

The third tremor hit just about an hour and a half after the second earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck the Elbistan district in Kahramanmaraş Province in southern Turkey. The earthquake also hit neighbouring Syria.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey at 1.24 pm (local time). The epicentre was traced in Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras, said the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Turkey. 

The epicentre of the first earthquake, which was 7.8 in magnitude, was near the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey. Thousands were killed in the first earthquake that hit at 4.17 am (local time). The disaster claimed 1,121 lives in Turkey alone. As many as  7,634 people sustained injuries. Syria, too, reported hundreds of deaths.

According to reports, at least 810 people were killed in the neighbouring Syria. The earthquakes were felt in Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, and Iraq.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said there were 78 aftershocks after the first earthquake. 

Visuals of the disaster and subsequent rescue efforts flooded social media on Monday.

Regions affected by the earthquake in Turkey (Map: US Geological Survey)

Soon after the earthquake, Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu issued a Level 4 alert in the country, which meant a call for international aid.

Responding to the call for aid, India is sending search-&-rescue and medical assistance teams. A meeting was held today at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to explore all possible means of assistance to Türkiye to cope with the aftermath of the earthquake. 

Other nations and groups that responded to the call for help are the US, Russia, Ukraine, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Israel, NATO and the European Union. Nations of the EU that immediately sprung to action were Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia (Czech Republic), France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania. Italy and Hungary have also extended help to the earthquake-hit countries.

According to the Associated Press, Taiwan has offered to donate $200,000 to help in the rescue operations.