Dozens of buildings collapsed, burying people under the rubble
People gather around a collapsed building in Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province, southern Türkiye, early Monday, February 6, 2023 © Depo Photos via AP
A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Türkiye early Monday morning, followed by several powerful aftershocks that were felt all across the region. The jolts caused widespread destruction, knocking down multiple residential buildings, according to disturbing footage captured by survivors.
The quake happened around 4:16 am local time and was centered some 30 kilometers from Gaziantep, a major provincial capital with a population of over 2 million people.
There was no immediate estimate of total casualties, but according to Turkish media reports dozens are feared killed, as multiple buildings were damaged or completely destroyed in the province of Gaziantep and across the neighboring Diyarbakir, Osmaniye and Malatya, with their residents trapped under the rubble.
At least 34 buildings were destroyed and five people killed in the province of Osmaniye alone, according to its governor, with more casualties feared as rescuers are working to locate possible survivors.
Another 15 people were killed and at least 16 buildings destroyed in Sanliurfa, according to initial estimates by the provincial governor.
The governor of Malatya reported at least 140 destroyed or badly damaged buildings, with bodies of 23 victims pulled from the debris so far. Over 420 suffered various injuries across the province, according to Anadolu news.
• 7.4 magnitude quake struck at 4.17 a.m.• Occurred at a depth of 7 kilometers (4.3 miles)• 5 people killed, 34 buildings destroyed in southern Osmaniye provincePowerful earthquake jolts Türkiye’s southeastern provinces https://t.co/QyDg058lv4pic.twitter.com/4xllIA4Mt0
— ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) February 6, 2023
Turkish authorities declared the highest level of emergency, with all rescue services and first responders mobilized to aid the affected provinces, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.
🇹🇷 | Terremoto Masivo en gran parte de Medio Oriente, #Siria, #Chipre, #Líbano, #Jordania y otras naciones de la región. #Terremoto#earthquake#Syria#Turkeypic.twitter.com/xZAqyGeoon
— Milva Gauto (@MilvaGauto) February 6, 2023
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his condolences to all victims, confirming that search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to affected areas, while all other government institutions are coordinating their response.
📹 | #BREAKING: Buildings collapsed across cities close to the #earthquake epicenter in #Türkiye's Kahramanmaras. pic.twitter.com/oSaSK38fcm
— EHA News (@eha_news) February 6, 2023
Across the border in Syria, several residential buildings reportedly collapsed in Aleppo as well as the city of Hama, according to local media. The quake was so powerful that shakes were felt all across the region, as far as Israel, Lebanon and Cyprus.
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