Turkiye-Syria Earthquake LIVE: NDRF Team Receives Warm Welcome At Adana Airport As They Return After Rescue Ops
Turkey Earthquake LIVE: Türkiye and Syria witnessed massive destruction after a powerful earthquake struck the two countries with shockwaves felt across region. Follow this space for latest updates.
The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria after the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6 has crossed 41,000.
Meanwhile the Turkish Police said that thay had arrested 78 people accused of creating fear and panic by "sharing provocative posts" about last week's earthquake on social media, adding 20 of them were being held in pre-trial detention, reported Reuters.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday vowed to press on with rescue and recovery efforts more than a week after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6 ripped through the country and neighbouring Syria.
"We will continue our work until we remove the last citizen left under the collapsed buildings," Erdogan said late on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting held at the headquarters of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), reported Reuters.
At least 41,000 people have been reported dead in Turkey and Syria after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake of February 6. The rescue mission was also still underway after a week as nine more survivors were pulled out from the rubble in Turkey on Tuesday.
Ahmed Hussein al-Shara, better known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, with a $10 million US government bounty on his head, has appealed for international aid in the northwest province of Idlib after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6 that have killed thousands.
As the 7.8 magnitude earthquake marks one week, UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said that the rescue phase of the earthquake response was "coming to a close", reported CNN.
Griffiths, the current under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief at the UN said his office will launch appeals in "the next day or so" for both Turkey and Syria to cover roughly three months of humanitarian needs.
Combined death toll in Turkiye and Syria has crossed over 36,000 as the devastation marks one week.
While talking to ANI on Indian national Vijay Kumar who died in Turkiye earthquake, Indian Ambassador to Turkiye Virander Paul said, "Mortal remains of only missing Indian national were found yesterday. We are in the process of earliest transportation of his mortal remains to India."
Survivors of devastating earthquakes are forced to live in the open in Turkiye's Antakya city, as their houses have turned into heaps of debris amid widespread loss of life and property in the region.
India's 7th 'Operation Dost' flight reached Syria with over 23 tons of relief material, including gensets, solar lamps, emergency & critical care medicines, & disaster relief consumables, said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted, "7th #OperationDost flight has delivered the relief material for Türkiye at Adana airport. This included medical equipment like patient monitor, ECG, syringe pumps and disaster relief material, along with supplies for our teams on the ground."
Turkiye and Armenia have opened their border gate for the first time in 30 years for the passage of humanitarian aid for the victims affected by the devastating earthquakes that hit the former, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported.
Indian Air Force sent an IAF C-17 aircraft, bearing relief material and emergency equipment, to Syria and Türkiye under Operation Dost.
The death toll due to the devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria has crossed the 28,000 mark, reported BBC.
Turkiye arrests 48 people over looting after earthquake, reported AFP citing state media.
As India continues its relief and rescue efforts in earthquake-ravaged Turkiye and Syria, a new consignment of relief supplies and equipment was sent to the two nations on Saturday evening aboard an IAF C-17 aircraft.
External affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar took to Twitter and informed: "The 7th #OperationDost flight departs for Syria and Türkiye. Flight is carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency & critical care medicines, medical equipment & consumables."
Abdel-Karim Abu Jalhoum, who had fled war and poverty in the Palestinian territory of Gaza twelve years back, was killed in the massive earthquake that devastated parts of Turkiye and Syria earlier this week.
According to a report by news agency Reuters, Jalhoum, his wife Fatima, and their four children, were among the 70 Palestinians who died in the Turkiye earthquake.
“My brother went to Turkiye to seek a better life away from wars and blockades here in Gaza,” Abu Jalhoum’s brother, Ramzy, told Reuters. “We lost the family. An entire family was wiped off the civil registration record,” he added.
According to the report, Abu Jalhoum uased to work as a taxi driver in Gaza but struggled to support a growing family. He left in 2010 for Turkiye, where he worked in a wood factory in Antakya, and Fatima and their children joined him once he was established.
Five C-17 aircraft already arrived. Prime focus on search and rescue operations and providing medical relief. 101 NDRF team members conducting search & rescue ops in Gaziantep, Indian Ambassador to Turkey said, as per ANI.
A field hospital setup by Indian Army in Hatay province. Two C-17 aircraft brought the medical team required to set up hospital with 30 beds, Virander Paul, the Indian Ambassador to Turkey, informed.
MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that those suffering the earthquake aftermath in Turkiye and Syria are humans and hence they are family.
"Like PM said, we believe in ‘Vasudhaiva kutumbakam’, one earth, one family & one future. When Turkey, Syria earthquakes happened, who was first to help? India’s armed forces. We don’t care who they’re, they’re human beings so they’re family," he said, quoted ANI.
The US' latest move to ease the sanctions imposed on Syria to support earthquake relief efforts is "misleading and aims to give a false humanitarian impression," the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, reported IANS.
The United States has temporarily eased its sanctions on Syria, for a period of 180 days, in an effort to speed up aid deliveries to the country’s north-west after the deaths of thousands in this week’s earthquake, reported The Guardian.
According to The Guardian, the US Treasury late on Thursday announced a 180-day exemption to its sanctions on Syria for “all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts”.
The combined death toll is nearing 24,000 after a massive earthquake wreaked havoc in Turkiye and Syria, reported AFP.
It mentioned that the United Nations has warned that at least 870,000 people are in urgent need of food.
In Syria alone, up to 5.3 million people may have been made homeless, it added.
Six individuals were rescued from a collapsed building in Iskenderun, southern Turkey, after spending 101 hours buried beneath the debris, AP reported.
According to Murat Baygul, a search and rescue worker, the six people—all relatives—survived by huddling together in a little pocket remaining inside the fallen structure, Al Jazeera reported.
Rescuers claim that since Monday, the possibility of discovering trapped people has decreased due to the frigid weather.
President Bashar Assad travels to hard-hit Aleppo, first public appearance in earthquake-devastated area of Syria, news agency AP reported.
The toll in the horrific Turkey-Syria earthquakes has risen to 20,000 as the bitter cold worsens conditions hindering rescue efforts.
According to officials, the death toll from the catastrophic earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria has risen to at least 19,738, CNN reported.
According to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the dead toll has grown to at least 16,546, with 66,132 people injured. According to Syrian state media, the overall number of dead in Syria has risen to at least 3,192, including 1,930 in rebel-held regions in the northwest, according to the White Helmets civil defence group, and 1,262 in government-controlled areas.
The overall number of injured individuals in Syria increased to 5,158 throughout all impacted regions, with 2,258 in government-controlled areas and 2,900 in rebel-held areas.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday stated that 95 countries and 16 international organisations had promised help to Turkey in the aftermath of this week's terrible earthquake, CNN reported.
Currently, 6,479 rescue professionals from 56 nations are on the ground, Cavusoglu said during a press conference in Ankara.
"Teams from 19 more countries will be in our country within 24 hours," he was quoted by CNN in its report.
Up to a week or more but it depends on their injuries, how they are trapped and weather conditions, according to the experts, news agency AP reported.
Leading relief official told CNN that the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe and years of violence have made it "incredibly difficult" to assist those in earthquake-hit areas of Syria.
“When we needed passable roads, bridges, airports, passage points across border lines the most, they were gone because of the earthquake,” Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, was quoted by CNN in its report.
"On both sides of this bitter conflict, there has been opposition to cross line(s to provide) frontline aid. I hope all of those political ideas that we have to make it difficult for the other side will be gone now. They all have one common enemy which is this earthquake and the children on both sides should have the relief they need,” he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasised on Thursday the need of humanitarian groups ensuring that those who survived the earthquake are cared for in order to "continue to survive", CNN reported.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, the WHO's incident response manager Robert Holden warned there were "a lot of people" surviving "out in the open, in deteriorating and horrible conditions."
"We’ve got major disruptions to basic water supplies, we’ve got major disruption to fuel, electricity supplies, communication supplies, the basics of life,” Holden was quoted by CNN in its report.
“We are in real danger of seeing a secondary disaster which may cause harm to more people than the initial disaster if we don't move with the same pace and intensity as we are doing on the search and rescue side,” Holden added.
At least 9,457 people have been confirmed dead so far since Monday's 7.8 magnitude earthquake with 6,957 people reported dead in Turkey, as per the country's disaster agency.
In the government-controlled and rebel-held regions of Syria, 2,500 people have been reported dead as per the state media.
At least 6,234 people were reported dead in Turkey, said the Turkish officials with nearly 34,810 people injured.
In the government-controlled and rebel-held regions of Syria, 2,530 casualties have been confirmed a total of 4,654.
Meanwhile, over 6 tons of emergency relief assistance including 3 truck-loads of protective gear, emergency use medicines, ECG machines and other medical items reaches Syria's Damascus airport, the Ministry of External Affiars said on Wednesday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that a sixth batch of relief materials and medical supplies has been dispatched for Turkey.
At least 7,926 people have been reported dead so far in Turkey and Syria after the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday, said the officials, reported CNN. In Turkey, at least 5,894 people are dead and 34,810 injured, Turkish vice president Fuat Oktay said on Tuesday.
In the rebel-held northwestern region on Syria, death toll rose to 1,220 while 2,600 people were injured, said the White Helmets on Tuesday. At least 812 deaths have been confirmed in government-controlled parts of Syria, state media SANA reported.
The Indian Air Force has dispatched the fourth aircraft with the last component of the field hospital to Turkey.
EAM S Jaishankar on Tuesday night said that a 6-tonne consignment of life saving medicines and emergency medical items had been dispatched to Syria.
The overall toll in the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria has crossed 6,200 amid search for more survivors.
The toll has risen to 3,703 in Turkey, said Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD). The number of injured people in Turkey has also increased to 22,286.
The United Nations's cultural wing UNESCO has said it will join the earthquake assistance, after a survey revealed severe damage to cultural sites in Turkey and Syria due to Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
UNESCO has said that it is “particularly concerned about the situation in the ancient city of Aleppo, which is on the List of World Heritage in Danger”.
India has dispatched an Indian Army field hospital to Turkey to establish a 30-bed medical facility. Its first component has left on an IAF C17 aircraft with a 45-member team. The medical team includes critical care specialists and surgeons. Among the equipment sent are an X-ray machine, ventilators, and OT, said a Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson.
The UN has stopped its cross-border aid to Syria due to the damage caused by the earthquake, according to CNN. Madevi Sun-Suon, a spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), said the assistance "has been temporarily disrupted due to road challenges – particularly the road from Gaziantep to our Transshipment Hub in Hatay."
“We are exploring all avenues to reach people in need and conducting assessments on feasibility. We do have aid but this road issue is a big challenge as of now,” Sun-Suon was quoted as saying by CNN.
Turkish President Recep TayyIp Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 provinces hit by massive quakes. He said so far the country has confirmed 3,549 deaths. He also informed that more than 8,000 people have been rescued by the 53,317 search and rescue staff and support personnel currently working in earthquake zone so far.
Turkish President gives out the latest details on the earthquake aftermath.
Flags in Turkish embassies and missions all over the world are being flown at half-mast to mourn the loss of lives in the earthquake.
By the request of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the EU diplomatic service’s conference on disinformation started on Tuesday with a minute of silence honouring the losses in earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria, reported Turkish news agency Anadolu.
A baby is rescued from under the rubble, 31 hours after the earthquake hit Kahramanmaras, Turkiye.
Heavy rain and snow are complicating the search-&-rescue efforts in Turkey. Rescuers are racing against the clock to find survivors as the toll is rising by the hour.
The latest toll in the earthquake reflects at least 5,034 confirmed deaths in Turkey and Syria. While
Turkey's death toll rose to 3,432, Syria reported 1,602 across the government-controlled areas and opposition-controlled regions, Turkey's Disaster Coordination Centre (AKOM) said on Tuesday.
Turkish ambassador to India Firat Sunel has said 2,769 search-and-rescue teams from 65 countries are present on the ground in his country. "About 6,000 buildings have been damaged in the earthquakes. Search and medical teams are operating round the clock. More than 5,000 military personnel are coordinating the rescue ops as hundreds still remain trapped under debris," he said.
Responding to Turkey's Level-4 call for international aid China said it will do its best to provide assistance to Turkey and Syria. The devastating earthquake that struck the region struck the region on Monday killed more than 5,000 people and injured over 24,000.
The first batch of aid to Turkey from China will be 40 million Chinese yuan ($5.9 million). Rescue and medical teams, and emergency supplies, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Mao Ning said on Tuesday, according to CNN.
Turkey earthquake toll has gone past 5,000, according to news agency AP.
Meanwhile, Indian aviation regulator DGCA held a meeting with Indian carriers over operating flights to Turkey for cargo movements via commercial scheduled flights. IndiGo has offered free cargo movement on its scheduled commercial flights using Boeing 777 aircraft to Istanbul.
India will send a C130 aircraft, carrying only medicines to Damascus in Syria on Tuesday afternoon. Two more C-17s are planned for Turkey in the late evening with 60 Para Field Hospital and personnel.
Till now, India has sent NDRF team, rescuers, medical teams and relief material to Turkey.
Former Chelsea forward and Ghana international winger Christian Atsu who was reported missing after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Türkiye was found alive with injuries buried under rubble. "Christian Atsu was pulled out injured. Our sporting director, Taner Savut, is unfortunately still under the rubble," Hatayspor club vice president Mustafa Ozak told TRT World.
The World Health Organisation has estimated that at least 23 million people could have been affected in Türkiye and Syria by the devastating earthquake claiming the lives of over 4,500 people in both countries and left tens of thousands injured.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for Ankara tomorrow to offer his support following the destruction caused by the devastating earthquake. Sharif would "express condolences and solidarity with President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and the people of Turkey over the loss of precious lives and destruction caused by yesterday's deadly earthquake," said Pakistan's Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb
The combined death toll in Türkiye and Syria rose to over 4,800 as the rescuers brave freezing darkness, aftershocks and collapsing buildings to dig out survivors, reported AFP.
In Türkiye, at least 3,381 people have been reported dead, said an AFAD official, Orhan Tatar in a televised briefing while at least 20,426 people were injured.
11,000 buildings have been damaged so far in Türkiye and nearly 25,000 emergency responders are working at scenes impacted, he adde.d
In Syria, the death toll has crossed over 1,509 across areas controlled by the government and by the opposition, said the officials, reported CNN. At least 3,548 people have also been reported injured in Syria, according to officials.
The first C17 aircraft with NDRF Search & Rescue Team, dog squads and other relief supplies reached Türkiye's Adana, reported ANI.
Agra-based Army Hospital has dispatched an 89-member medical team to Türkiye, reported ANI. The team comprises critical care specialist teams including Orthopaedic Surgical Team, General Surgical Specialist Team, Medical Specialist Teams apart from other medical teams.
The teams are also equipped with X-ray machines, ventilators, Oxygen generation plant, Cardiac monitors and associated equipment to establish a 30-bedded medical facility.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar extended solidarity to the governments and people of Türkiye and Syria after the massive earthquake.
"Our country, promptly on its part, sent assistance as NDRF search & rescue teams, specially trained dogs, medical supplies & other equipment to assist the authorities in those countries.We extend our solidarity with the Govts&people of Turkey & Syria," he said.
Aid planes carrying emergency supplies from Iran and Iraq reached at Damascus International Airport, reported BBC. The planes from Iraq carried about 70 tonnes of food, and medical supplies, among other relief materials, which reached Syria on Tuesday reported Syrian news agency SANA.
Iranian planes arrived on Monday. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had said on Monday that his country is ready to dispatch humanitarian aid to quake-hit areas in Syria.
Another C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force will leave soon with relief supplies to Türkiye, sources told ABP Live. One C-17 aircraft with relief materials and NDRF Search & Rescue Teams, dog squads and other necessary equipment left today early morning.
An earthquake of 5.6 magnitude struck the central Türkiye region on Tuesday morning, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
Pakistan has sent its first batch of relief supplies and rescue team for the victims in Türkiye, reported TRT World. A C-130 plane carrying a search and rescue team from the Pakistan Army took off from Chaklala Airbase in Rawalpindi late Monday, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
At least 100 aftershocks with an intensity of 4.0 or greater on the Richter scale have occurred after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Turkiye, Syria, and other neigbouring countries while the effects were felt as far as Cyprus island and Egypt, said the US Geological Survey.
Meanwhile, Japan sent its Disaster Relief Rescue Team to Turkiye on Monday night to support the search and rescue operation, said the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"“Upon the request of the Government of Turkey, and in light of humanitarian perspective and Japan’s friendship relations with Turkey, Japan has decided to provide this emergency assistance to Turkey to meet its humanitarian needs,” the statement read.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a 7-day national mourning in the country following a powerful pre-dawn earthquake in country's southern region which claimed the lives of over 2,000 people. 656 people were reported dead in government-held areas of Syria.
The first batch of earthquake relief material left for earthquake-hit Turkiye along with NDRF Search & Rescue Teams, specially trained dog squads, medical supplies, drilling machines & other necessary equipment.
The death toll across Turkey and Syria has crossed 2,500 following a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in southern Turkey early Monday. The total number of injured in Turkey and Syria climbed to 12,136. The total death toll in Syria rose to 968. Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the death toll climbed to 1,651.
A tremendous earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday morning, killing over 2,300 people and injuring hundreds more. The magnitude 7.8 quake was one of the most powerful to hit the area in almost a century. In the midst of intense aftershocks, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) requested international assistance.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has announced that it will "provide immediate cash assistance" from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to aid relief operations in both nations.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that he spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and offered "any additional support necessary" in the aftermath of the terrible earthquakes.
Taking to the Twitter, the PM stated: "I just spoke to President @RTErdogan. On behalf of the Greek people, I extended my deepest condolences for the devastating loss of life and reiterated our readiness to provide all further assistance necessary."
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to his Turkish and Syrian counterparts, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bashar al-Assad, and assured all help over separate phone calls, a Kremlin statement read. Bashar al-Assad, reportedly thanked Putin for his offer. Notably, Russia is Syria's strongest military ally.
Qatar and Kuwait will establish an air bridge to let humanitarian assistance into Turkey, CNN reported.
Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, said the International Search and Rescue Group (QSART) will fly to Turkey via the air bridge as soon as Monday, carrying specialised rescue and search vehicles, relief aid, tents, and winter supplies to set up field hospitals upon arrival, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA).
Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, also authorised the building of the air bridge to transport "immediate help and medical workers," according to a statement from Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
An Israeli security source informed CNN that Syria asked Russia to relay a request for earthquake relief to Israel, but a Syrian source refuted this assertion.
Such a request would be unusual: Israel and Syria are legally at war and have no diplomatic relations. An Israeli diplomatic official said he was unaware of any earlier request for help from a country with which Israel was legally at war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed earlier on Monday that he had authorised a request for help to Syria from "a diplomatic element," and that he expected it to be acted on "in the near future."
US President Joe Biden has "authorised an immediate United States response" in the aftermath of a massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria overnight, CNN reported.
According to him, senior US officials are working with Turkish colleagues on humanitarian requirements.
The President conveyed his sympathies to everyone affected by the earthquake.
According to France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, 139 French civil security rescue professionals will fly to Turkey on Monday evening to assist with search and rescue efforts.
Darmanin stated in a tweet that the response was made "at the request of the president of the republic" and is "part of the European solidarity mechanism."
The United Nations is ready to help with emergency response measures in Turkey and Syria, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye & Syria, and offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims,” he wrote.
Rescuers are now hunting for survivors after a strong magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the region, killing over 2,000 people and injuring hundreds more.
The governing body of European soccer, UEFA, has expressed its condolences to "all those impacted by this morning's catastrophic earthquake" in Turkey, according to a social media statement on Thursday.
Taking to Twitter, UEFA stated: "The thoughts of UEFA and the European football community are with the people of Türkiye and Syria, and all those affected by this morning’s devastating earthquake."
According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, the dead toll from Monday's 7.8 magnitude earthquake has grown to 1,121, CNN reported.
According to Orhan Tatar, the general director of AFAD, 1,121 people were killed, 7,634 were injured, and 2,834 buildings were destroyed across Turkey.
Another earthquake of magnitude 6.0 strikes central Turkey, says USGS. This is the third earthquake in Turkey after two powerful earthquakes in less than 24 hours. The death toll has risen to 1,014 in Turkey.
In response to reports of a 7.5 magnitude aftershock in southern Turkey this morning, CNN meteorologist and severe weather specialist Chad Myers explained why the aftershocks have been so violent.
Myers described the 7.5 aftershock as "an earthquake in and of itself" on CNN's This Morning. "It would have been the region's strongest earthquake since 1999."
The Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide under Turkey's southeastern regions. "The earth shifted nearly 100 miles from one side to the other" along this fault line, according to Myers.
"We always talk about the epicenter, but in this case we should talk about the epi-line," he was quoted by CNN in its report.
Seismologists call this a "strike slip" - "when the plates are contacting and all of a sudden they move sideways," Myers explained.
The German technical aid agency THW is prepared to send help to the region impacted by Monday's catastrophic earthquake in Turkey and Syria, which killed at least 1,500 people and injured hundreds more, CNN reported.
According to government spokesperson Maximilian Kall, THW will send tents, blankets, and emergency power generators.
After meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Başar oglu, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser committed to give all necessary assistance, according to Kall. Turkey has requested the deployment of a European Civil Protection Team, he noted.
Meanwhile, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan, NATO and the EU have volunteered to send assistance in the aftermath of the accident.
Seismographs, which detect the seismic waves that flow through the Earth following a quake, are used to measure earthquakes.
For long years, scientists employed the Richter Scale, but now mostly use the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, which the US Geological Survey claims is a more accurate indicator of size.
The Richter scale is used to measure magnitude, whereas the MMI scale is used to assess intensity.
After a strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey early Monday, at least 1,504 people were dead and many more were injured in Turkey and Syria, CNN reported.
According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, at least 592 people have died in Syria, with 371 of them dying mostly in the provinces of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia, and Tartus. SANA also recorded 1,089 wounded.
Meanwhile, the "White Helmets" organisation, formally known as the Syria Civil Defense, claimed at least 221 dead and 419 wounded in opposition-held parts of northern Syria.
“Hundreds remain trapped under rubble,” the White Helmets tweeted.
Turkish Ambassador to India Firat Sunel told ABP Live, "So far 950 confirmed dead, 5385 injured, 2470 rescued and 2900 buildings collapsed."
August 1999: For 45 seconds, a massive magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Marmara, a highly populated region to the south of Istanbul, Turkey's largest metropolis. Within a few days, the official death toll had risen to 17,500.
November 1999: A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the eastern Turkish town of Duzce, killing at least 845 people.
May 2003: A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the eastern province of Bingol, destroying a school dormitory. At least 167 individuals were murdered, including 83 children.
March 2010: A 6.1 magnitude earthquake devastated the eastern province of Elazig, killing at least 42 people.
October 2011: Van, a city in eastern Turkey, was struck by two earthquakes. The first (magnitude 7.2) struck on October 23, while the second (magnitude 5.6) occurred on November 9, killing 644 people.
January 2020: Elazig was struck by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake, killing at least 22 people and wounding over 1,000. It was felt in Syria, Georgia, and Armenia as well.
October 2020: On October 30, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake levelled buildings in eastern Greece and western Turkey, killing at least 24 people and injured approximately 800. In Turkey, much of the damage occurred in and around the Aegean tourist city of Izmir.
February 2023: A strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northwest Syria. In Turkey, at least 912 people have been killed and another 5,000 have been wounded. Authorities in Syria, which has already been devastated by more than 11 years of civil conflict, reported at least 328 people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured, largely in the provinces of Hama, Aleppo, and Latakia.
Second 7.6 magnitude earthquake in central Turkey.
Erdem was asleep at his house in Gaziantep, southern Turkey, when one of Turkey's largest-ever earthquakes woke him up at 04:17 local time, BBC reported.
"I have never felt anything like it in the 40 years I've lived. We were shaken at least three times very strongly, like a baby in a crib," he was quoted by BBC in its report.
People fled to their automobiles in order to avoid the destroyed structures. "I imagine no one in Gaziantep is in their homes right now," Erdem remarked.
When the earthquake jolted their fifth-floor flat in Adana, more than 130 miles west, Nilüfer Aslan was certain he and his family would die.
"I have never seen anything like this in my life. We swayed for close to one minute," he was quoted by BBC in its report.
"[I said to my family] 'There is an earthquake, at least let's die together in the same place'... It was the only thing that crossed my mind."
The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria reached 640 with hundreds still believed to be trapped under rubble and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area, reported AP.
Citing Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management, AP reported 284 deaths in seven Turkish province while 440 were injured.
In government-held areas of Syria, the death toll climbed to 237 with over 630 injured as per Syrian state media. At least 120 people were killed in rebel-held areas, according to the White Helmets.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over loss of lives in Syria.
"Deeply pained to learn that the devastating earthquake has also affected Syria. My sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We share the grief of Syrian people and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this difficult time," he tweeted.
Talking to BBC, Director at Kandilli Observatory, Haluk Özener said that this was the "biggest earthquake in 24 years" and that 100 aftershocks have occured so far with more expected.
"We are facing the biggest earthquake we have seen in 24 years in this region. So far, 100 aftershocks have occurred. About 53 of them are over 4 [on the Richter scale]. Seven of them became over 5. We can say that these earthquakes will continue in the coming days," he said.
In order to enable search and rescue teams to reach the affected zones, the Turkish Armed Forces have set up an air corridor, said the country's defence ministry on Monday. “We mobilised our planes to send medical teams, search and rescue teams and their vehicles to the earthquake zone,” reported Reuters quoting defence minister Hulusi Akar as saying.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Office in a statement said that Search & Rescue Teams of NDRF and Medical Teams along with relief material would be dispatched immediately in coordination with the Government of Republic of Türkiye.
The official death toll in Turkey and Syria stood at 568, reported Assosciated Press after a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit southern Turkey earlier this morning. Atleast 2,323 people were reported injured in the quake.
In an update by the Syrian Health Ministry, 237 people were reported dead in the country across the government-held provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus. More than 600 people were reported injured by the ministry.
Atleast 284 people have been reported dead in Turkey after 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
The death toll has risen to atleast 360 and the toll was expected to rise, reported AP. Meanwhile, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Galant said the country is preparing to provide emergency aid to Turkey. The tremors from the quake with the epicenter in Tukrey were felt in Israel as well though no injuries or damages have been reported so far.
The White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defence, declared northwestern region of Syria a "disaster area" following the quake, as per CNN. The northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey, is controlled by anti-government forces amid a bloody civil war that began in 2011.
At least 234 people have been reported dead in Turkey and Syria while the number is expected to rise, reported AP. Rescue team searched for missing people from the buildings toppled by the powerful earthquake.
US President Joe Biden has asked US Agency for International Development and other federal government partners to assess U.S. response options to help those most affected, said the White House on Monday.
"The United States is profoundly concerned by the reports of today’s destructive earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance. President Biden has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess U.S. response options to help those most affected. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with the Government of Turkiye," said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to the bereaved families of those who died in Turkey earthquake and extended solidarity. "Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the Earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy," he tweeted.
Background
Turkey Earthquake LIVE: Three powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.8, 7.6, and 6 on the Richter scale jolted southern and Central Turkey on Monday. The tremors of the quakes were felt as far as the island of Cyprus and even Egypt. The total toll due to the earthquakes has risen to more than 2,300 and is climbing.
The quakes struck at 4:17 am 1.24 pm, and 3:02 pm (local time) respectively. The depth of the first quake, which was also the strongest, was about 17.9 kilometres with the epicentre located about 33 kilometres from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched" to the areas hit by the quake. "We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote on Twitter.
Around 80 aftershocks followed the first earthquake, before the second and third tremors hit the nation.
Television images showed shocked people in Turkey standing in the snow in their pyjamas, watching rescuers dig through the debris of damaged homes.
The earthquake was one of the most powerful to hit the region in at least a century, affecting southeastern parts of Turkey that are home to millions of refugees from Syria and other war-torn regions.
The tremors claimed the lives of over 800 people in neighbouring Syria with several buildings razed to rubble in the northern city of Alleppo and central city of Hama. Many people went down the streets after buildings shook in Damascus, reported AP.
"There are many damaged buildings," AFAD chief Orhan Tatar said in nationally televised remarks. "People should avoid buildings."
The tremors were also felt in Lebanon from beds, shaking buildings for about 40 seconds. Many residents of Beirut left their homes and took to the streets or drove in their cars away from buildings.
How Earthquakes Are Measured?
Seismographs, which detect the seismic waves that flow through the Earth following a quake, are used to measure earthquakes.
For long years, scientists employed the Richter Scale, but now mostly use the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, which the US Geological Survey claims is a more accurate indicator of size.
The Richter scale is used to measure magnitude, whereas the MMI scale is used to assess intensity.
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