Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached the area most affected by the earthquake.
Many people have voiced outrage at the government’s apparent lack of response.
People on social media said that the government’s reaction had severe flaws.
According to press reports, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has traveled to the area most affected by the earthquake. He plans to travel to Kahramanmaras, Hatay, and Pazarcik, the epicenter of the earthquake.
Many people have voiced outrage at the government’s apparent lack of response, with some saying that assistance has yet to arrive.
Arzu Dedeoglu, a woman from the Numune area of Iskenderun in southern Turkey, informed sources Friday night that her two nieces were trapped under the rubble and that no help had arrived for a day.
“We have two kids under the rubble, Aysegul, and Ilayda. They are gone now, I am sure they are already gone. Why couldn’t they have come earlier?”
Another survivor in the southern city of Antakya, Melek, 64, asked: “Where are the tents, where are food trucks?”
According to sources, she stated on Wednesday: “Unlike prior crises in our country, we haven’t seen any food distribution here. We escaped the earthquake, but we will perish here from hunger or cold.”
Others on social media said that the government’s reaction had severe flaws, with some stating that some of the hardest devastated areas had been overlooked.
Damage roads and other infrastructure in southern Turkey have slowed the delivery of supplies to northern Syria.
The northeast of Syria is largely controlled by US-backed Kurdish-led militias.
Syrian Arab Red Crescent head called for the European Union to lift its sanctions on Syria.
BEIRUT, — Even before Monday’s deadly earthquake, delivering relief to all sections of war-torn Syria had formidable political and logistical obstacles.
These obstacles have only grown in the aftermath of the calamity that has killed hundreds in Turkey and Syria and destroyed thousands of structures.
Damage to roads and other infrastructure in southern Turkey has slowed the delivery of supplies to northern Syria, which has already been decimated by 12 years of conflict.
The “conflict and the way the humanitarian response is split between rebel areas and Damascus” complicate aid distribution, according to Aron Lund, a Syria researcher at the New York-based think tank Century International.
While the government in Damascus controls the bulk of Syria, the majority of the north is controlled by several — and sometimes opposing — organizations. The northwest is divided between territory de facto controlled by Turkey and territory controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaida-linked rebel force. The northeast of Syria is largely controlled by US-backed Kurdish-led militias.
Because of the difficulty of passing via Damascus, foreign aid has been delivered to northwestern Idlib province via Turkey for many years. However, the area of southern Turkey that has traditionally been used as a staging area has been severely damaged by the earthquake.
Aid delivery into northwestern Syria was “temporarily interrupted” Tuesday, according to a United Nations spokesperson, due to infrastructure damage and challenges with road access.
Damage to the Hatay airport and the road to the aid crossing, Bab al-Hawa, were particularly slowing shipments, according to Emma Beals, a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington.
Enormous needs in Turkey itself
“There is also the fact that there are enormous needs in Turkey itself,” she said.
One cause for hold-ups is that the U.N. mandate for delivering aid to the territory only allows it to enter through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, Beals said. Also, international search teams may be reluctant to enter earthquake-affected areas controlled by HTS, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S.
The group’s “presence limits the kinds of aid many donors are prepared to supply to the area,” she said.
The Damascus regime and its Russian allies have seized the opportunity to revive their demand for northern aid to be funneled through Damascus. Countries opposed to Assad do not trust Syrian authorities to provide help to opposition areas and are concerned that it may be redirected to benefit people and institutions associated with the government.
According to Natasha Hall, a senior scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, transporting aid via Damascus to the north is not feasible in practice, especially during a moment of crisis.
“It is extremely logistically and administratively difficult to get the approvals (from Damascus),” she said. Coordination of aid is also hampered “because the government of Syria doesn’t recognize the non-governmental organizations working in northwest Syria.”
At a press conference Tuesday in Damascus, Syrian Arab Red Crescent head Khaled Hboubati said his group is “ready to deliver relief aid to all regions of Syria, including areas not under government control.” He called for the European Union to lift its sanctions on Syria in light of the massive destruction caused by the earthquake.
Aid convoys and rescuers from several countries, notably key ally Russia, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iran, and Algeria, have landed in airports in government-held Syria.
Difficult humanitarian situation
Still, the sanctions exacerbate the “difficult humanitarian situation,” Hboubati said.
“There is no fuel even to send (aid and rescue) convoys, and this is because of the blockade and sanctions,” he said.
Rescue teams search through the wreckage of collapsed buildings in Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Rescuers raced Tuesday to find survivors in the rubble of thousands of buildings brought down by a powerful earthquake and multiple aftershocks that struck eastern Turkey and neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
So far, the U.S. and its allies have resisted attempts at creating a political opening by way of the disaster response. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Monday that it would be “ironic, if not even counterproductive, for us to reach out to a government that has brutalized its people over the course of a dozen years now.”
Price said the U.S. would continue to provide aid through “humanitarian partners on the ground.”
Similarly, a spokesperson for the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said the “sanctions regime was put in place in response to human rights violations and other abuses by the regime and their cronies.”
According to a US State Department official, humanitarian assistance in government-held areas is provided by partner organisations rather than the government.
“Our partners in regime-controlled areas directly deliver assistance to beneficiaries without control or direction from the Assad regime,” they told sources. “This is to ensure that our assistance is not diverted by malign actors or the Assad regime and reaches the intended beneficiaries.”
One of the main groups supported by the United States and Britain is a civil defense organization in opposition-held areas known as the White Helmets; USAID Administrator Samantha Power spoke with the group’s head Tuesday and “discussed how USAID can provide the most urgently needed assistance in response to the earthquake,” her office said in a statement.
European Commission
According to European Commission spokeswoman Balazs Ujvari, the European Union has supplied relief in all areas of Syria through UN and NGO partners and is attempting to expand funds for humanitarian assistance. According to him, the Syrian government has not yet formally requested that Europe deploy rescue and medical personnel.
In theory, sanctions should not impede assistance operations in government territories because both the US and the EU have exemptions for humanitarian relief.
However, the reality on the ground can vary. Banks, for example, may restrict transactions to pay suppliers or local workers for humanitarian organizations, despite the exclusions, according to Lund.
In addition, US sanctions, and to a lesser extent EU sanctions, seek to hinder the restoration of damaged infrastructure and property in government-held areas in the absence of a political solution, which could impede post-earthquake rehabilitation, according to Lund.
Meanwhile, local emergency workers in both sections of Syria report that only limited relief is reaching them.
“There are promises that aid will get to us but nothing has gotten here yet,” said the White Helmets’ head Raed Saleh.
Her mother went into labor soon after the accident and gave birth before dying.
Her father, four brothers, and an aunt were also killed.
A doctor at a local Afrin hospital stated she was currently in stable condition.
Syria: Rescuers rescued a newborn baby from beneath the wreckage of a building in northwestern Syria that was demolished by an earthquake on Monday.
According to a relative, her mother went into labor soon after the accident and gave birth before dying. Her father, four brothers, and an aunt were also killed.
After being rescued from the wreckage in Jindayris, a guy was seen carrying the baby, who was covered in dust.
A doctor at a local Afrin hospital stated she was currently in stable condition.
The structure where her family lived was allegedly one of roughly 50 that was demolished by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Jindayris, an opposition-held town in Idlib province near the Turkish border.
A baby girl has been rescued from beneath the wreckage of a building in northwestern Syria that was demolished by an earthquake on Monday.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake allegedly demolished over 50 buildings in Jindayris, an opposition-held town in Idlib province near the Turkish border.
Even before the earthquake, 4.1 million people in the northwest, most of whom were women and children, were in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Turkiye has been postponed He was expected to express solidarity over the loss of lives in the earthquake The next date of the prime minister visit will be announced later ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has postponed his visit to Turkiye, Bol News reported citing sources. The prime minister … Read more
Sindh Chief Minister visited Turkish Consulate in Karachi He expressed his condolences over the earthquake in Turkiye The chief minister also recorded his comments in the guest book KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday visited the Turkish Consulate to offer his condolences over the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake. … Read more
The four people were arrested after detectives discovered accounts that published “provocative” posts.
People on Turkish social media have been complaining about a lack of search.
Following a major 7.8-magnitude earthquake in southern Turkey, Turkish police detained four people on Tuesday for “provocative” social media posts.
The earthquake slammed the region early Monday, killing over 5000 people in Turkiye and Syria, wounding hundreds more, and leaving many more without shelter in the harsh cold.
The four people were arrested after detectives discovered accounts that published “provocative posts aimed at instilling fear and terror,” according to the police.
It also stated that a larger investigation into social media accounts was ongoing, but provided no information about the posts’ content.
People on Turkish social media have been complaining about a lack of search and rescue activities in their area, particularly in Hatay.
On Tuesday, the police appeared to address such allegations.
“The address and location information of citizens who seek help is immediately ascertained and coordination is established,” they said.
Turkish authorities have in the last few years cracked down on social media posts, especially those considered to support “terror”, but this has led to accusations that freedom of expression has been curtailed.
UN aid from Turkey to Syria is being halted owing to road damage.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 23 million people in Turkey and Syria “are exposed” to the effects of these earthquakes.
This includes around one million youngsters, according to WHO’s senior emergency officer Adelheid Marschang, who spoke earlier to the UN health agency’s executive committee.
Syria, which felt the effects of both earthquakes, is already experiencing problems, with the delivery of essential UN aid from Turkey being halted owing to road damage.
“This is a crisis on top of multiple crises in the affected region,” Marschang said of Syria, adding the country’s needs are high after “nearly 12 years of protracted, complex crisis, while humanitarian funding continues to decline”.
The first 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck early in the morning.
As the buildings began to tremble, many people ran into the streets.
Over 5000 people lost their lives.
Two massive earthquakes and a series of aftershocks struck Turkey, Syria, and the surrounding region, killing over 5000 people and wreaking havoc.
Where were the earthquakes?
The first 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck early in the morning near the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey. A similar-sized quake occurred 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the north, while people were still looking for survivors in the rubble.
The vibrations were so powerful that they took down tower blocks and other buildings in northern Syria and were felt as far away as Cyprus and Lebanon.
The epicenter of the first earthquake was near Gaziantep, a city of about two million inhabitants. As the buildings began to tremble, many people ran into the streets.
The city’s castle, which has stood for over 2,000 years, has also suffered significant damage. During the Roman Empire, the hilltop castle was constructed. It was most recently utilized as a museum.
The historic Yeni Camii mosque in Malatya, which is more than 100 miles from the epicentre, was severely damaged. Its domes crumbled, exposing it to the winter sky. The mosque was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1894 and then damaged again by another quake in 1964.
Buildings and docks were destroyed in the Mediterranean port city of Iskenderun, Hatay province.
Building collapses killed over 810 persons in Syria. The earthquake has severely devastated Aleppo’s mediaeval citadel, which has been wrecked by a decade of fighting.
A big block of residential and commercial buildings in the village of Besnaya – Bseineh was reduced to rubble.
Chinese Red Cross Society will provide 2 million yuan in emergency humanitarian help.
Pakistan to send 15 tonnes of emergency supplies to Turkey and Syria.
China has pledged 400 million yuan (£49 million; $58.9 million) in aid to Turkey. According to Deng Boqing, vice chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, this will include rescue and medical personnel as well as various emergency supplies.
The government body in charge of international aid activities in the country is coordinating the delivery of humanitarian materials to Syria. It will also expand ongoing food relief operations in Syria, according to Deng.
The Chinese Red Cross Society said that it will provide 2 million yuan in emergency humanitarian help to the Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Red Crescent.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has sent rescue personnel and relief goods to quake-hit areas in Turkey. In a statement on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said that from Wednesday, Pakistan International Airlines will send one plane carrying 15 tonnes of emergency supplies to Turkey and Syria.
A team of six persons includes surgeons, paramedics, emergency medical personnel, and logistic personnel.
An earthquake on early Monday jolted southern Turkiye and northwest Syria.
The earthquake killed 4800 people in sleep.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake on early Monday jolted southern Turkiye and northwest Syria, killing over 4800 people in their sleep, leveling buildings, and causing tremors felt as far away as Greenland, news agencies and Al Jazeera reported.
At least 1,651 were killed in rebel and government-controlled parts of Syria, state media and medical sources said whereas 3,381 people died in Turkey
Sou heard from David Wightwick of UK-Med, who is awaiting a flight to Turkey to lead the UK’s medical response team.
According to him, the initial team of six persons includes surgeons, paramedics, emergency medical personnel, and logistics personnel. More NHS employees will most certainly join them, he says Radio 4’s Today program, but it’s critical that they arrive first and asses how they can best assist.
He explains that they don’t want to take up too much room until they know what they can do to help Turkish officials.
A 51-member Pakistani rescue team had been dispatched to Istanbul.
About 5,600 buildings have been destroyed.
World Health Organization officials predict that up to 20,000 people may have died.
HATAY, Turkey – Rescuers in Turkey and Syria dug with their bare hands through the chilly night on Tuesday, searching for survivors among the rubble of thousands of houses destroyed by a series of powerful earthquakes.
The reported death toll in both nations has risen to more than 4,800 following a swarm of severe tremors along the Turkey-Syria border, the greatest of which registered a staggering 7.8 magnitude.
Meanwhile, federal minister Saad Rafique announced on Twitter that a 51-member Pakistani rescue team had been dispatched to Istanbul.
According to Turkish and Syrian disaster response teams, about 5,600 buildings have been destroyed across numerous cities, including many multi-story apartment buildings that were full of sleeping occupants when the first quake occurred.
Eyewitnesses in the southern Turkish city of Kahramanmaras struggled to fathom the magnitude of the calamity.
“We thought it was the apocalypse,” said Melisa Salman, a 23-year-old reporter. “That was the first time we have ever experienced anything like that.”
Turkey’s rescue agency AFAD reported 2,921 deaths on Tuesday, raising the total number of confirmed deaths to 4,365.
Residents in the Syrian village of Besnia, close to the Turkish border, search for fatalities and survivors among the rubble of collapsed buildings.
There are fears that the death toll will continue to increase inexorably, with World Health Organization officials predicting that up to 20,000 people may have died.
Around 2,600 personnel from 65 countries have sent emergency aid.
Thousands of structures were destroyed after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
It’s now just after 10:23 local time there, and a massive search and rescue operation that continued overnight is expected to pick up speed
The confirmed death toll has surged to more than 4,300 – but it’s likely to rise further as more sites are searched in the wide area.
According to Turkey‘s emergency service AFAD, around 2,600 personnel from 65 countries have been dispatched to the disaster area to aid Turkish rescuers.
300,000 blankets and over 41,000 family tents have been delivered in total.
Thousands of structures were destroyed after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday while residents were sleeping.
A 7.5-magnitude tremor then struck nearby several hours later, causing more damage to an already rattled region.
Stay tuned for the most recent updates from our correspondents on the ground, eyewitness experiences, expert analysis, and videos and images from the disaster zone.
70 tons of food, medical supplies, and blankets are sent.
Iranian aid arrived earlier on Monday.
Over 4300 casualties have been reported.
Aid planes from Iran and Iraq have arrived at Damascus International Airport.
The Iraqi planes carried about 70 tons of food, medical supplies, and blankets, among other emergency supplies, Syrian state media reported. These were delivered early Tuesday morning.
Iraqi’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on Monday they would send an aid shipment supplying first aid, shelter supplies, medicine, and fuel.
Iranian aid arrived earlier on Monday. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Monday that his country is ready to dispatch humanitarian aid to quake-hit areas in Syria.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake on early Monday jolted southern Turkiye and northwest Syria, killing over 4300 people in their sleep, leveling buildings, and causing tremors felt as far away as Greenland.
At least 1,451 were killed in rebel and government-controlled parts of Syria, state media and medical sources said whereas 2,921 people died in Turkey.
Rescue workers and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border.
The majority of people were asleep when the earthquake occurred in the early morning. Videos were captured at various sites and posted on social media during and after the earthquake. A video of “weird bird behaviour” just before the disaster shook the area has been circulated on Twitter. More than 2000 people were killed and … Read more
Heavy rain and snow hampered the rescue operations.
Nearly 4,300 people have lost their lives in Turkey and over the border in Syria.
The World Health Organization has cautioned that the death toll might grow.
Rescuers are battling heavy rain and snow as they race against the clock to find survivors of a devastating earthquake in southeast Turkey.
Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors after a deadly earthquake in southeast Turkey.
When the earthquake struck in the early hours of Monday, it killed nearly 4,300 people in Turkey and over the border in Syria.
The World Health Organization has cautioned that the death toll might grow substantially as rescuers discover additional fatalities.
Many individuals in the disaster zone are afraid to return to their homes.
According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 (01:17 GMT) on Monday at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near Gaziantep.
Seismologists claim it was one of the most powerful ever recorded in Turkey, where at least 2,921 people died. According to survivors, the shaking lasted two minutes.
A later tremor with a magnitude of 7.5 struck the Elbistan area of Kahramanmaras province.
As daylight broke on Tuesday, traffic was halted on the main highway leading to the Turkish city of Maras, which is near to the epicenter of the earthquake and is thought to be one of the worst-affected locations.
A severe earthquake struck yesterday in regions of Turkey and Syria.
Turkey has seen more than 400 fatalities and thousands of injuries.
Celebrities and other Pakistanis are horrified by the dreadful earthquake news.
Celebrities and ordinary Pakistanis alike are horrified by the dreadful earthquake news. The people of Pakistan are in pain after watching photographs from Turkey and Syria because of the close ties that exist between Pakistan, Turkey, and Syria. Numerous Pakistani celebrities are sending prayers to the citizens of Syria and Turkey. On their official social media pages, they are publishing stories. Here are some images we’ve gathered for you:
A severe earthquake that struck yesterday in regions of Turkey and Syria resulted in significant damage and deaths. Reports state that a 7.8-magnitude jolt was reported initially, followed by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that wreaked havoc throughout Turkey and Syria. Numerous structures were immediately toppled, and thousands of people are still trapped beneath the debris, waiting for assistance. Turkey has seen more than 400 fatalities and thousands of injuries. The governments of Syria and Turkey, along with actors and benefactors, are pleading for immediate assistance.
Pakistan stands with Turkey as deadly earthquake hits PM, President express grief over loss of lives FO said Pakistan is ready for all possible cooperation ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed deep sorrow over the huge disaster caused by the earthquake in Turkey. The deadly earthquake has taken the lives of more than 150 people in Turkey … Read more
Pakistan offered all possible assistance in the relief effort.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.9 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria.
Foreign Office expressed its condolences for the deaths caused by the earthquake in a statement.
As a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.9 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria, Pakistan offered all possible assistance in the relief effort.
A catastrophic earthquake struck Turkey earlier today, and it was felt in Cyprus, Lebanon, and Syria. Several buildings have collapsed, and a search for survivors beneath the wreckage is underway.
Pakistan expressed its condolences for the deaths caused by the earthquake in a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
“The Government and people of Pakistan are deeply saddened to learn that a severe earthquake hit parts of Southern Türkiye earlier today, resulting in loss of precious lives and extensive damage to property,” said the statement.
It added that the Pakistani nation stands in complete solidarity with its Turkish brethren in this hour of grief. “We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for early recovery of those injured,” said the FO.
“Pakistan stands ready to extend all possible support in the relief effort,” said the statement, adding that “we are confident that the resilient Turkish nation will overcome this natural calamity with characteristic grit and determination.”
A major earthquake struck Turkiye’s southeast territory.
PM Shahbaz Shareef sends condolences to President Erdogan and the brotherly people of Turkiye.
The prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed his grief over the news of the major earthquake that struck Turkiye’s southeast territory on Monday.
PM said in a Tweet:
“Deeply saddened by the news of a massive earthquake that struck the southeastern region of Türkiye.”
“I send my profound condolences and most sincere sympathies to my brother President Erdogan and brotherly people of Turkiye on the loss of precious lives and damage to infrastructure”
Deeply saddened by the news of a massive earthquake that struck southeastern region of Türkiye. I send my profound condolences & most sincere sympathies to my brother President @RTErdogan & brotherly people of Türkiye on the loss of precious lives & damage to infrastructure.
Thousands of people are injured in both countries.
Hundreds are trapped under rubble.
At least 1,388 people have died across Turkey and Syria, after a huge 7.8 magnitude earthquake swept across southern Turkey early Monday, injuring thousands more people in both countries.
According to the Syrian state news agency, at least 592 people have died in Syria, with 371 of them dying primarily in the provinces of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia, and Tartus. sources also recorded 1,089 wounded.
Meanwhile, the “White Helmets” group, formally known as the Syria Civil Defense, reported at least 221 deaths and 419 wounded in opposition-held parts of northern Syria.
“Hundreds remain trapped under rubble,” the White Helmets added on Twitter.
In Turkey, at least 912 people have died and 5,385 people were injured, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a televised address Monday.
Rescuers are working through the rubble of collapsed buildings to locate survivors, while NATO, the EU, and 45 countries have offered assistance following the disaster.
Hundreds of people were killed, and thousands were injured.
100 search and rescue personnel are ready to be dispatched.
Vladimir Putin expressed condolences and stated his willingness to assist.
The death toll from a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and northern Syria early Monday is growing. Hundreds of people were killed, thousands were injured, and the death toll was anticipated to increase higher.
Russia says it is preparing to send rescue troops to Turkey to assist earthquake victims there and in neighboring Syria.
Aleksandr Kurenkov, minister of emergency circumstances, said teams of 100 search and rescue personnel are ready to be dispatched to Turkey with two Il-76 transport planes.
In telegrams to the leaders of Syria and Turkey, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences and stated his willingness to assist.
Despite Russia’s international isolation as a result of Moscow’s assault on Ukraine, the offer was made.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has announced that a search and rescue team from the Netherlands will travel to the earthquake-ravaged region of southeastern Turkey and northern Syria.
“Terrible news about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Our thoughts are with all the victims of this severe natural disaster,” Rutte said in a tweet Monday. He said he had sent condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Dutch group Urban Search and Rescue send teams to catastrophe sites all around the world, comprising rescue workers, construction specialists, doctors, nurses, and sniffer dogs.
Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, has also pledged assistance.
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry has expressed condolences for the deaths in Turkey and Syria.
The neighboring country
The neighboring country has announced the dispatch of rescue teams to Turkey to assist local authorities in dealing with the consequences of the deadly earthquake.
Bulgaria’s defence minister said that two Spartan military transport planes will travel to Adana, Turkey, with emergency teams of firefighters, rescue workers, and doctors.
Greece, Turkey’s neighbor, and other countries in the region have volunteered to provide emergency aid to assist with the rescue operation following Monday’s deadly earthquake that devastated southeast Turkey and northern Syria.
“Greece is mobilizing its resources and will assist immediately … (we are) deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake disaster,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote in a tweet. Writing in Turkish, Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered help in a message on Twitter, adding: “The State of Israel is always ready to send aid by any means possible. Our hearts go out to the families and Turkish people who are grieving at this painful time.” The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, in a statement early Monday, offered help to both Turkey and Syria following the powerful earthquake.
The devastating quake was felt in Cairo, Egypt, as well as other regions of the region. Despite tense relations between Turkey and numerous nations in the region, notably Greece and Egypt, offers of aid were made.
A plane carrying tents and medical supplies will depart for turkey.
Turkey requested assistance from the international community.
Following the massive earthquake that slammed the country’s south on Monday morning, Azerbaijan will send a search and rescue team of 370 personnel as well as humanitarian material to Turkey, according to Turkey’s state-run news agency.
A plane carrying aid, including tents and medical supplies, will depart for Turkey “in a short time,” sources said.
The Netherlands has stated that it will deploy a search and rescue team to Turkey after the country’s disaster agency requested assistance from the international community.
Many were still asleep as earthquake-leveled buildings.
Tremors were felt as far away as the island of Cyprus and Egypt.
Istanbul: A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 568 people, leveling buildings while many were still asleep, and sending tremors that were felt as far away as the island of Cyprus and Egypt.
Several buildings have collapsed across the border region. Rescue workers and civilians worked through tangles of metal and bits of concrete to look for survivors under the rubble of smashed buildings in numerous cities on both sides of the border.
Rescue workers and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border, working through tangles of metal and chunks of concrete.
At least 119 people perished in government-controlled portions of Syria.
Images on television showed stunned citizens in Turkey.
The earthquake was one of the most powerful to strike the region in at least a century.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria early Monday, killing about 200 people, leveling buildings while many others were still sleeping, and spreading shocks as far away as Cyprus and Egypt.
According to the health ministry and a local hospital, at least 119 people perished in government-controlled portions of Syria, as well as in northern areas held by pro-Turkish forces.
Images on television showed stunned citizens in Turkey standing in the snow in their pajamas, watching rescuers rummage through the debris of destroyed homes.
The quake occurred at 04:17 a.m. local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of around 17.9 kilometers (11 miles) in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which has a population of about two million people, according to the US Geological Survey.
Turkey’s AFAD emergencies service center put the first quake’s magnitude at 7.4, adding that it was followed by more than 40 aftershocks.
The earthquake was one of the most powerful to strike the region in at least a century, impacting southeastern Turkey, which is home to millions of refugees fleeing Syria and other war-torn countries.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will be under enormous pressure to oversee an effective reaction to the accident as the country prepares for a closely contested election on May 14, expressed his sympathies and advocated national togetherness.
“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” the Turkish leader tweeted.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington was “profoundly concerned”.
“We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance,” Sullivan said.
‘People under rubble’
The earthquake struck a restive, primarily Kurdish region of Turkey bordering Syria, a country racked by more than a decade of turmoil that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
Rescuers were seen sifting through the wreckage of leveled buildings in Kahramanmaras and neighboring Gaziantep, where huge portions of cities had been demolished, according to images shown on Turkish media.
In one shot from Kahramanmaras, a fire lighted up the night sky, although its origin was unknown.
Buildings collapsed in Adiyaman, Malatya, and Diyarbakir, where reporters watched scared people rush out onto the streets.
Because so many structures were demolished, Kahramanmaras Governor Omer Faruk Coskun said it was too early to estimate the death toll.
“It is not possible to give the number of dead and injured at the moment because so many buildings have been destroyed,” Coskun said. “The damage is serious.”
A historic mosque from the 13th century partially fell in the province of Maltaya, as did a 14-story building with 28 flats.
Rescuers in other locations sounded distraught as they battled to reach survivors buried beneath the debris.
“We hear voices here — and over there, too,” one rescuer was overheard saying on NTV television in front of a flattened building in the city of Diyarbakir.
The United States issued a statement in response to the deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
The quake killed more than 100 people in seven Turkish regions.
440 individuals were hurt so far.
The White House of the United States issued a statement in response to the deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and Syria early Monday. According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, the quake killed more than 100 people in seven Turkish regions. According to the agency, 440 individuals were hurt.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Monday’s earthquake in government-held areas of Syria has risen to 99, according to Syrian official media citing the Health Ministry. Furthermore, 334 persons were injured in Syria. Previously, 20 individuals were reported slain in Syria’s rebel-held territory. This brings the total number of fatalities in Turkey and Syria to 195.
White House issues statement
The White House said that it was “profoundly concerned by the reports of today’s destructive earthquake in Turkiye and Syria”. “We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance,” said the statement. “President Biden has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess US response options to help those most affected. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with the Government of Turkiye,” added the statement.
The tremor was felt as far away as Cairo, Egypt, and was centered north of Gaziantep, around 90 kilometers (60 miles) from the Syrian border. The earthquake occurred during a blizzard that is predicted to last through Thursday in the Middle East. Turkey is situated on significant seismic lines and is frequently jolted by earthquakes. In 1999, strong earthquakes struck northwest Turkey, killing 18,000 people.
At least 100 people were killed, with the death toll anticipated to grow.
There were at least six aftershocks.
At least 11 casualties are being reported at the Syrian border.
ANKARA, Turkey — A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeast Turkey and Syria early Monday, toppling buildings and driving scared inhabitants outside into the chilly winter night. At least 100 people were killed, with the death toll anticipated to grow.
In various locations on both sides of the border, rescue personnel and people desperately searched for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings. Hundreds of people removed chunks of concrete and twisted metal from a quake-stricken Turkish city. People on the street called out to those inside a half-collapsed apartment building that was tilting precariously.
The tremor, which was felt as far away as Cairo, was centered north of Gaziantep, around 90 kilometers (60 miles) from the Syrian border.
On the Syrian side of the border, the quake destroyed opposition-held areas teeming with 4 million Syrians displaced by the country’s lengthy civil war. Many of them live in deplorable conditions with inadequate health care. At least 11 people were killed in one village, Atmeh, and many more were buried under the wreckage, according to Muheeb Qaddour, a doctor there.
“We fear that the deaths are in the hundreds,” Qaddour said, referring to the rebel-held northwest. “We are under extreme pressure.”
On the Turkish side, the area has several large cities and is home to millions of Syrian refugees.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the quake.
“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote.
There were at least six aftershocks, and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu warned residents not to enter damaged houses because of the dangers.
“Our priority is to get individuals trapped under collapsed structures out and into hospitals,” he said.
The 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time.
Officials in Turkey confirmed at least 17 deaths.
There have also been numerous casualties recorded in Syria.
A powerful earthquake struck a vast area in south-eastern Turkey near the Syrian border, killing dozens and trapping many more.
The 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) in the city of Gaziantep, according to the US Geological Survey.
Officials in Turkey confirmed at least 17 deaths. There have also been numerous casualties recorded in Syria.
There are fears that the death toll will skyrocket in the next hours.
Many buildings have collapsed, and rescue workers are searching for survivors.
Suleymon Soylu, Turkey’s Interior Minister, reported ten cities were affected: Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir, and Kilis.
The city’s shopping center collapsed.
The tremor was felt in Syria, Lebanon, and Cyprus as well.
“I was writing something and just all of a sudden the entire building started shaking and yes I didn’t really know what to feel,” Mohamad El Chamaa, a student in the Lebanese capital Beirut, told the sources.
“I was right next to the window so I was just scared that they might shatter. It went on for four-five minutes and it was pretty horrific. It was mind-blowing,” he said.
Rushdi Abualouf, a BBC producer in Gaza, reported 45 seconds of shaking in the house where he was sleeping.
The magnitude of the quake was estimated by Turkish seismologists to be 7.4 on the Richter scale.
They reported that a second tremor struck the area barely minutes later.
Turkey is located in one of the most active seismic zones on the planet.
More than 17,000 people were murdered in 1999 when a strong earthquake shook the country’s northwest.
