Series of Earthquakes Takes Toll on Turkey and Syria Killing Thousands, Search Operations for Survivors Are On

One of the strongest earthquakes rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday, leading to more than 4300 people dead. Rescue operations for survivors continue.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: February 07, 2023

A series of earthquakes shook Turkey and Syria on Monday, causing great damage to the residents with 4300 deaths (still counting), collapsed buildings and people huddled in the freezing cold. The worst of the quakes had a magnitude of 7.5 and reverberated through Turkey 9 hours after the first earthquake. The second disaster measured 59 miles (95 kilometers) north of the initial shock. The earthquakes began at 4:00 AM on Monday and the tremors even affected as far as Israel and Lebanon.

As per the United States Geological Survey, east of Nurdagi the epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude quake was 14.2 miles (23 kilometers) in the province of Gaziantep of Turkey. It had a depth of 14.9 miles (24.1 kilometers). Rescue operations are on to pull survivors out of tons of rubble. The amount of debris and destruction for Syria and Turkey is immeasurable.

According to Yunus Sezer, the head of disaster services in Turkey, 2,921 people were killed. Also, more than 15,800 people are injured. As for Syria, the fatality figures till now are 1,451 people. In government-controlled areas, 711 people died mostly in the regions of Latakia, Aleppo, Tartus, and Hama. Several countries have come ahead for assistance and have sent rescue workers to the regions stricken with horror.

Since 1939, the current earthquake is said to be the strongest in Turkey. In the central and south of Turkey, strong aftershocks were constant. From the first quake, the second one came 11 minutes later with a 6.7 magnitude that spread for 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of the original quake’s epicenter. Then it continued to another aftershock which took place for 19 minutes with a 5.6 magnitude.

A winter storm is already intensifying the disaster. Hundreds of photos are seen circulating online, which show buildings in ruin and flattened, and people on roads as the surroundings go down in the dust, toppled vehicles, metal rods lying here and there on streets, as the bulldozers continue to work to clear the debris. Even prime locations have been affected, with several key places known for business, or of importance left with nothing but powdered remains because of the earthquake.

The World Health Organization has alerted the emergency medical teams in Turkey and Syria and dozens of countries have come ahead for help.