More than 1,700 people died in one of the deadliest earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on Monday.
The magnitude 7.8 quake created havoc in both countries, flattening thousands of apartments and other buildings. The earthquake hit Turkiye and Syria both the sunrise on Monday and an aftershock of 7.7 further ignited the catastrophe.
In Turkiye, the death toll increased to 1,014. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said 5,383 had been injured.
He, however, said that he could not predict how much the death toll would rise as search and rescue efforts continued.
“Everyone is putting their heart and soul into efforts although winter season, cold weather and the earthquake happening during the night makes things more difficult,” he said.
US agency’s Statement
According to the US agency, the earthquake occurred at 04:17 local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of roughly 17.9 kilometers (11 miles). Then 15 minutes later, a 6.7-magnitude occurred.
Initial Earthquake’s magnitude
The initial earthquake’s magnitude was estimated by Turkey’s AFAD emergency service centre to be 7.4. The earthquake was among the strongest to strike the area in at least a century.
The earthquake destroyed many structures in important southern Turkish cities. As well as in the neighboring country of Syria, which has been afflicted by turmoil for more than ten years. Moreover, home to millions of displaced people.
In one image from Kahramanmaras, a fire lit up the night sky. But its source was unknown. Buildings also collapsed in the cities of Adiyaman as well as in Malatya, and Diyarbakir.
The earthquake was reportedly felt in areas of central Turkey. Those areas include the capital Ankara.
The head of Syria’s National Earthquake Center, Raed Ahmed told pro-government radio, this was “historically, the greatest earthquake recorded in the history of the centre”.
Turkey comes in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.
