More than 1,300 dead
The death toll from the earthquake of magnitude 7.4 on the Richter scale registered on Monday in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria, has risen to more than 1,300, according to data provided by the authorities of both countries and the ‘white helmets’, although it is feared that the figure may rise in the coming hours because thousands of people have been injured and many are still trapped in the rubble. SOURCE: (EUROPA PRESS)
More than 5,000 injured
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that at least 912 people have been killed and 5,385 injured by the quake, which he described as «the biggest disaster since the 1939 earthquake» that left more than 30,000 dead.
Search and rescue
«Our state has taken measures with all institutions since the earthquake took place and our provinces have mobilized all their capabilities,» Erdogan said, before noting that more than 9,000 workers are working on search and rescue operations.
Serious damages
The governor of the province of Kahramanmaras, Omer Faruk Coskun, stressed that «it is not possible to give an exact number of dead and injured at this time» and added that «the damage is serious». The earthquake had its epicenter in the district of Pazarcik, located in this province.
A disaster
Along these lines, the mayor of Kahramanmaras, Hayrettin Gungor, acknowledged that the situation is a «disaster» and added that the authorities «are on the ground with all their capabilities». «Our request to citizens is not to crowd and not to disrupt traffic. We need to help the (search and rescue) teams,» he argued.
Highest alarm level
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told a press conference that the Turkish government has declared the highest level of alarm, including a request for international assistance, and has dispatched numerous search and rescue teams to the earthquake zones.
The governorates of Latakia, Aleppo, Hama and Tartus.
The earthquake has also left about 240 people dead in the areas of Syria controlled by the authorities, according to data from the Syrian Ministry of Health, which said that about 640 people have been injured. Most of the victims reside in the provinces of Latakia, Aleppo, Hama and Tartus.
Mobilization in Syria
In view of the situation, the Syrian Ministry of Defense has announced the mobilization of all its units and institutions to provide aid to the victims, according to a statement published by the Syrian state news agency SANA. The country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, has also headed an emergency meeting of the government to analyze the situation.
Catastrophe and devastation
To these figures must be added about 150 dead and more than 340 wounded in rebel-held areas in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo, in the northwest of the Arab country, as indicated by the Syrian Civil Defense, known as ‘white helmets’, through its Twitter account, where it has lamented «the catastrophe and devastation» caused by the earthquake.
The number of victims could increase
«The earthquake in northwest Syria has killed 147 people and injured more than 340. The toll could rise as many families are still trapped. Our teams are on the ground searching for survivors and removing the dead from the rubble,» he said.
Urgent support needed
«Houses, buildings and residential areas completely destroyed. Urgent support is needed for response efforts,» he said.
Air corridor
The Turkish Armed Forces have set up an air corridor on Monday to allow the transfer of aid and rescue teams to the areas affected by the earthquake of magnitude 7.4 on the open Richter scale registered during the early hours of the morning in the province of Kahramanmaras, which has left more than 650 dead in Turkey and Syria.
Rescue teams
Rescue teams search for possible victims in Turkey following an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the open Richter magnitude scale near the Syrian border.
Tsunami warning
Authorities in Italy have activated a tsunami alert due to the fear, which has now disappeared, of the possible arrival of large waves on the southern coasts of the country due to the powerful earthquake registered in the southeast of Turkey, which has forced the paralyzation of transport and classes in some areas.
Assistance from other countries
Several countries (including Germany, Italy, France and Great Britain) have expressed their willingness to provide aid to Turkey and Syria on Monday following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake registered near the border between the two countries.
European Union assistance
The European Union (EU) has shown on Monday its «solidarity» and its readiness to «help» after the death of more than 1000 people due to the earthquake: «Deeply saddened to learn this morning of the devastating earthquake that has struck parts of Turkey and Syria,» said the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in a message posted on his official account on the social network Twitter. «My deepest condolences to the many families who have lost lives and a speedy recovery to the injured. The EU shows its total solidarity with you,» he said.
