'Thought the earth was going to split...' Fears mount as another powerful earthquake hits Turkey
By Team Newsable | First Published Feb 21, 2023, 8:46 AM ISTThe disaster agency said another 6.4 magnitude tremor struck Turkey's southern Hatay province late Monday evening. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said three people were killed and 213 were taken to hospital after quakes, urging people to stay away from damaged buildings. At least six people were injured in Syria, as per reports.
Another earthquake struck the Turkish-Syrian border region on Monday, February 20, just two weeks after a major quake devastated the area, killing over 47,000 people and damaging or destroying hundreds of thousands of homes. The 6.4 magnitude quake on late Monday evening was centred near the southern Turkish city of Antakya and was felt in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
This comes after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey's southeastern Kahramanmaras province early on February 6, followed by over 40 aftershocks that buried thousands under the rubble of flattened buildings in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.
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Hatay Mayor Lutfu Savas reportedly said he had received reports about people trapped under rubble following the latest earthquake. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said three people were killed, and more than 200 were injured in the latest earthquake.
Residents said more buildings collapsed in Samandag, where the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority AFAD reported one person dead, but most of the town had already fled after the initial earthquakes. The streets were lined with mounds of debris and discarded furniture.
Muna Al Omar said she was sleeping in a tent in a park in central Antakya when the ground began to tremble again. "I thought the earth was going to split beneath my feet," she cried, hugging her 7-year-old son in her arms.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the organisation is ready to provide additional assistance after two new earthquakes struck Turkey on Monday.
Guterres tweeted, "My thoughts remain with the people of Turkiye and Syria as they deal with the aftermath of new earthquakes that struck the region this evening. UN teams are assessing the situation, and we stand ready to provide additional assistance."
My thoughts continue to be with the people of Türkiye and Syria, as they face the impact of new earthquakes striking the region this evening. teams on the ground are assessing the situation, and we stand ready to provide additional support as needed.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres)
According to the AFAD, the death toll from the quakes two weeks ago has advanced to 41,156 in Turkey, with 385,000 apartments known to have been destroyed or severely damaged and many people still missing.
The US State Department said that total US humanitarian assistance o support the earthquake response in Turkey and Syria have reached $185 million.
The United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency said that approximately 356,000 pregnant women urgently requiring health services were among the earthquake survivors. They include 226,000 women in Turkey and 130,000 in Syria, with approximately 38,800 due to birth in the next month. Many are in camps or exposed to freezing temperatures, struggling for food or clean water.
Also Read: Christian Atsu discovered dead in Turkey earthquake rubble; condolences pour in
Also Read: Turkey-Syria earthquake: BTS members J-Hope-Jimin donate Rs 64.52 Lakhs for children relief work
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