The Monday morning earthquake which smashed through Syriua and Turkey has officially been marked as causing over 3,600 deaths, according ot the most recent numbers made public by area officials, a marked leap from the 2,300 figure which had been made public just a scant few hours earlier.
At least 2,316 individuals were killed in Turkey, explained the nation’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, as reported by The Washington post. The agency also claimed that at least 13,000 people were injured and an estimated 3,471 buildings collapsed, while authorities in Syria reported at least 1,350 dead and 3,411 people injured, as explained by NBC News.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.8 quake struck at 4:17 a.m. local time. Scores of aftershocks followed, authorities said. Hours later, a 7.5 magnitude quake struck more than 60 miles away. https://t.co/EXzuBKjsXR pic.twitter.com/vwZyD8hlX8
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 6, 2023
The massive earthquake, which was measured to be an estimated magnitude of 7.8 event crashed through the area just prior to dawn, and has been chased by a number of aftershocks. A number of rescue crews were sent out to try and dig through the resulting rubble of the decimated buildings in an effort to find survivors or the bodies of the dead.
Map locating the areas affected by 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria#AFPgraphics @AFP pic.twitter.com/0J7uBe1zNO
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 6, 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced an official seven days of mourning at the national level, stating that this was one of the worst natural disasters to hit the area since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake that killed more than 30,000 people, expressed a report from USA Today. Officials warned that the death toll for this most recent earthquake event could wind up climbing much higher as the in-depth search continues forward.
The region this took place is known to sit on a major fault line. In the area affected by the massive quake, the horrible situation has been compounded by the presence of multiple millions of refugees who have been displaced due to the multiple years-long civil war in Syria that were taking refuge along the border between Turkey and Syria.
Heads of state from all over the world have promised to send out assistance to help the recovery efforts of the beleaguered local authorities.
“Our teams are deploying quickly to begin to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced by the earthquake,” stated President Joe Biden.
“My heart goes out to the people of [Turkey] and Syria in this hour of tragedy,” expressed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a recent release. “The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response. Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance.”
