Publish date6 Feb 2023 - 14:03
Story Code : 583120

Turkey, Syria earthquake, death toll surpasses 650

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake has jolted Turkey and Syria early on Monday killing hundreds of people as the tremors were felt in the Lebanese capital Beirut and the island of Cyprus.
Turkey, Syria earthquake, death toll surpasses 650
A massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Kahramanmaras Province, central Turkey, at 01:17 GMT on Monday. The quake was recorded roughly 15 miles 24 kilometers underground and was felt in at least six nearby provinces (Hatay, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakir, Malatya and Sanliurfa).

The quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, with the strongest one having a magnitude of 6.6.

Dozens of buildings have collapsed across Turkey, and the death toll continues to go up as rescue workers search for survivors. The massive earthquake also caused multiple buildings to collapse in Syria, leading to multiple deaths.

The quake was also felt in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. It was also felt in Damascus and Latakia in Syria, according to a local newspaper. The Zionists in Tel Aviv also reported feeling the quake. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake was felt in Egypt, Georgia, and Romania.

Turkey is in one of the world's most active earthquake zones. The Turkish region of Duzce suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in 1999 -- the worst to hit Turkey in decades. That quake killed more than 17,000 people, including about 1,000 in Istanbul.

Followings are the latest updates on the quake in Turkey and Syria:

The death toll as a result of the earthquake increased to 326, and another 1,042 people were injured, a senior Health Ministry official told Sputnik on Monday.

Earlier reports indicated that 248 people were killed and 700 were injured.

"According to new data, 326 people became victims of the earthquake, and another 1,042 were injured," the official said.

The official added that rescue operations continue and this is not the final information about the victims.

Turkish President Erdogan has said the death toll in the country has risen to 912.

He said 5,383 people have been wounded in the country, adding he could not predict how high the casualty numbers would rise.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi issued separate messages of condolences to his Turkish and Syrian counterparts over Monday's deadly earthquake.

Offering sympathy to the Syrian and Turkish nations over the incident, President Raeisi announced Iran's readiness to provide urgent relief aid to the quake-hit countries.

At least 670 people have been reported dead in Turkey and Syria after Monday's huge 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

In Syria, at least 386 people have died, including 239 mostly in the regions of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, Syrian state TV reported. 

According to some reports, at least 147 deaths were registered in northwestern Syria.

Hundreds more people were also injured following the earthquake, with 648 wounded in Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, Syrian state TV reported. 

In Turkey, at least 284 people have died and more than 2,323 people have been injured, Turkey's Vice President Fuat Oktay said earlier. 


The death toll as a result of the earthquake increased to 248 in Syria, while 700 people were injured, a senior Health Ministry official told Sputnik on Monday.
"According to new data, 248 people became victims of the earthquake, and 700 were injured," the official said.

Hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped under rubble. Nearly 900 buildings were destroyed in Turkey’s Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces, said Vice President Fuat Otkay.

He placed the total number of collapsed buildings at 1,718.


The death toll from the powerful earthquake that hit southern Turkey early Monday could reach as high as 10,000 people, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, CNN reported.

According to its estimates, USGS said there is a 47% chance of it reaching between 1,000 to 10,000 people, whereas there is a 27% chance of it reaching between 100 and 1,000 and a 20% chance of it reaching between 10,000 and 100,000. 

The USGS estimates come from modeling based on historical earthquakes in the region, the population exposed to the heaviest shaking, and the vulnerability of the structures in the hardest-hit zones.

"High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," the USGS said in the report.

"The population in this region resides in structures that are extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist."

The report also estimates economic losses will likely be between $1 billion to $10 billion, which could reach up to 2% of Turkey’s GDP.
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