Photo: Reuters
Anqra:Turkey, Syria earthquake Around 2,400 killed; Hundreds of buildings Collapse,world leaders mourn loss.
Turkey President Rajjab c Tayyap Erdoğan said, so far, 1,541 people have lost their lives and at least 9,733 people injured. While in Syria, over 800 feared dead as rescue operation continues.
Syrian rescue teams search for victims and survivors in the city of Aleppo following a deadly earthquake.
Syrian rescue teams search for victims and survivors in the city of Aleppo following a deadly earthquake.(AFP)
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Turkey followed by another strong quake which was felt in several provinces in the region, knocking down a number of buildings, reports said.
At least 2400 killed after 7.9 magnitude powerful quake hits Turkey, Syria
The US Geological Survey said quake was centred about 33 kilometres (20 miles) from Gaziantep about 26 kilometres (16 miles) from the town of Nurdagi. It was centred 18 kilometres (11 miles) deep, according to the US Geological Survey.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management agency was centered in the town of Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province. The European Union is sending rescue teams and preparing further help for Turkey, the bloc’s crisis management commissioner said.
“Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way,” with the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre overseeing their deployment, commissioner Janez Lenarcic tweeted.
Concerned Authorities said 1,498 people were killed in 10 Turkish provinces, with more than 430 people declared dead in Syria and at least 380 in the country’s rebel-held northwest.
Natural hazards expert Dr Steven Godby warned that the vulnerability of the population and winter snow could make rescue efforts more difficult, saying: “Unfortunately the death toll is likely to climb quickly.”
“The first 24-48 hours is when most people are normally rescued in this situations, but the cold weather may reduce that time.
The challenge is further compounded by the fact that there are already large numbers of displaced people in northern Syria as a result of the civil war.
