- More than 8,500 people have been killed and thousands injured by a huge earthquake which struck south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border, in the early hours of Monday morning.
- The earthquake, which hit near the town of Gaziantep.
- It was a big earthquake – registered as 7.8, classified as “major” on the official magnitude scale. It broke along about 100km (62 miles) of fault line, causing serious damage to buildings near the fault.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a three-month state of emergency in 10 provinces worst-affected by an earthquake that has killed thousands.
WHO says Death toll could increase eight-fold.
Adding to the devastation, some 4000 buildings have collapsed, according to the Turkish government.
The UN’s cultural agency UNESCO said on Tuesday it was ready to provide assistance after two sites listed on its World Heritage list in Syria and Turkey sustained damage in the devastating earthquake.
As well as the damage to the old city of Syria’s Aleppo and the fortress in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, UNESCO said at least three other World Heritage sites could be affected.
“Our organization will provide assistance within its mandate,” said UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay.
Cause of the earthquake?
- The Earth’s crust is made up of separate bits, called plates, that nestle alongside each other.
These plates often try to move but are prevented by the friction of rubbing up against an adjoining one. But sometimes the pressure builds until one plate suddenly jerks across, causing the surface to move.
In this case it was the Arabian plate moving northwards and grinding against the Anatolian plate.
Friction from the plates has been responsible for very damaging earthquakes in the past.
Earthquakes Measurement
They are measured on a scale called the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw). This has replaced the better known Richter scale, now considered outdated and less accurate.
The number attributed to an earthquake represents a combination of the distance the fault line has moved and the force that moved it .
A tremor of 2.5 or less usually cannot be felt, but can be detected by instruments. Quakes of up to five are felt and cause minor damage. The Turkish earthquake at 7.8 is classified as major and usually causes serious damage, as it has in this instance.
Anything above 8 causes catastrophic damage and can totally destroy communities at its centre.
A glance at the world's deadliest quakes in past 25 years
June 22, 2022: In Afghanistan, more than 1,100 people died in magnitude 6.1 earthquake.
Aug. 14, 2021: In Haiti, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake killed more than 2,200 people.
Sept. 28, 2018: A magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit Indonesia, triggering a tsunami and killing more than 4,300 people.
April 25, 2015: In Nepal, more than 8,800 people were killed by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake.
World Support
Around 70 countries are sending aid to Turkey, but there is growing anger in some places that help is not arriving fast enough.
INDIA
India has decided to send search and rescue teams, along with medical aid and relief materials.
Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit area for search and rescue operations, the PMO said in a press release.
Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines.
Also sends 4 aircraft to quake-hit Turkiye with rescue equipment, relief materials, medical teams.
U.S. President Joe Biden said in statement that U.S. “teams are deploying quickly to begin to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced by the earthquake.” the United States is deploying two 79-person urban search and rescue teams and that the Pentagon and the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, are coordinating with their Turkish counterparts on additional assistance.
UK
The UK stands ready to help in whatever way we can, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted saying his thoughts were with the people of Turkey and Syria.
ISRAEL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has issued orders to send Israeli aid to Turkey and also assist Syria.
The European Union also said it was sending rescue teams to Turkey after the earthquake-ravaged country requested the bloc’s assistance.
Canada to send $10 million in earthquake relief in ‘initial’ response
China
An earthquake rescue team dispatched by China’s government arrived at Turkey’s Adana Airport early on Wednesday.
The team, comprised of 82 members, brought 20 tonnes of medical and other rescue supplies and equipment, as well as four search-and-rescue dogs.
Russia also said it had rescue teams preparing to go to Turkey and Syria to help earthquake victims.
Source : BBC, Middle East Eye, Times of Israel, Independent, DW, Al Arebia News
