A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria in the early hours of Monday, February 6, leading to the reported deaths of 640 individuals and counting.
The earthquake caused widespread destruction, with hundreds of buildings collapsing, and many individuals still trapped beneath the rubble. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey announced on Twitter that search and rescue teams were promptly deployed to the regions impacted by the earthquake. “We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote. Journalism student, Muhammet Fatih Yavus reported that a survivor trapped under the rubble cried out for help, stating that he no longer have the strength to hold on. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency reported that 284 people were killed across seven Turkish provinces and 440 were injured. Meanwhile, Syrian state media stated that 237 individuals were killed and over 630 were injured in government-controlled areas. The opposition group, White Helmets, reported that 120 people were killed in rebel-held areas. The level of destruction caused by the earthquake in Turkey makes it look like a war zone. This is utterly heartbreaking. Pray for Turkey and especially for the people trapped under the rubble. pic.twitter.com/PeqPXoNKlF — KC (@kci2013) February 6, 2023 🎥1 Scary footage of how the #earthquake struck #Turkey last night. 🎥2 A 6-story building in Urfa, Turkey falls over after earthquake As per estimate over 1700 buildings have been destroyed with over 800 deaths PM Modi extends condolences and offers help to all effected pic.twitter.com/B9CSpvRh2J — Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) February 6, 2023
