Admin l Tuesday, February 21, 2023
ISTANBUL – There is palpable fear in Turkiye and Syria two countries which have lost over 47,000 people with as two new earthquakes hit regions in the two countries.
Many scampered for safety at one of the airports and Southern Turkey as two more earthquakes measuring 6.4 magnitude with 5.8 aftershock hit Turkiye and Syria. In Northern Syria, many are sheltering in open fields as a result of fear. Tremors were also felt as far as Egypt and Lebanon.
According to the Turkey’s disaster and emergency agency, the 6.4 earthquake occurred at 20:04 local time (17:04 GMT) at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles), followed by a 5.8 aftershock three minutes later and 31 subsequent aftershocks that were not as severe in Southern Turkey with aftershocks in Syria.
Authorities say there are over 90 aftershocks as many residents fled their homes in Western Turkey. Government is warning residents to stay away from buildings already weakened by the initial earthquakes.
So far, six persons have been confirmed dead in the latest earthquakes while 130 people are said to have been injured. Many people are feared trapped underneath the rubble.
Rescue operators were winding up operation after the February 6 earthquake when the latest quake took place.
The quakes hit Hatay province in Antakya on Monday, just two weeks after the first earthquakes affecting buildings that survived the initial quakes.
According to reports, many of the affected people have been sheltered in tenths in open spaces, with many wondering what would happen next.
Turkiye President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to revive the villages within one year.
“In March, we will say bismillah to make a total of 270 thousand families homeowners, 200 thousand of which are residences and 70 thousand of which are village houses”, he said.
