Turkey recent earthquake update: Six dead in latest tremor on Turkey-Syria border

Turkey: Turkey recent earthquake update by authorities reports that, six individuals lost their lives when the quake hit the border between Turkey and Syria on Tuesday. This latest tremor occurred two weeks after a massive quake that claimed over 47,000 lives and caused extensive damage to numerous homes. 

The earthquake on Monday, which was felt in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon, struck as rescue efforts from the previous disaster were nearing completion. The epicentre of the quake was located close to the Turkish city of Antakya.

Magnitude of recent turkey earthquake

According to reports, the Turkey earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 as measured by US and European seismological agencies, while Turkish monitors recorded it as a 6.4 magnitude quake. 

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) stated that the latest quake resulted in 90 aftershocks, causing additional distress to those living in tents following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck on February 6, leaving the residents of Antakya homeless.

Many individuals, such as 47-year-old blacksmith Murat Vural, were terrified by the event and feared for their lives. Murat Vural described the quake as a sign of the apocalypse and believed that they were going to perish and be trapped beneath the debris.

After Monday’s earthquake, he phoned his friend and urged him to depart from the town, stating that it was no longer safe and they should worry for their lives.

The initial quake claimed the lives of more than 41,000 individuals in Turkey, while the number of fatalities in neighbouring Syria is estimated to be around 6,000, as per officials. 

According to President Tayyip Erdogan, over 865,000 individuals are currently living in tents, while 23,500 people reside in containers, and another 376,000 individuals have been relocated to student dormitories and public guesthouses outside the earthquake zone.

What Louisa Vinton informed?

According to Louisa Vinton, the Turkey representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), up to 210 million tonnes of rubble must be cleared in the aftermath of the earthquakes, with numerous buildings damaged or destroyed.

Vinton mentioned that the task ahead of them is massive and requires an area of approximately 7 million square metres (75.5 million square feet) to dispose of the rubble, highlighting the enormous amount of work required to clear the area.

Many Turkish citizens criticized Erdogan’s government for its slow response and construction policies, which resulted in numerous apartment buildings collapsing and trapping individuals beneath the rubble.

Speaking from the southern province of Osmaniye, Erdogan acknowledged the government’s duty to hold those responsible accountable before the law.

With presidential and parliamentary elections slated for May, Erdogan, who has been in power for two decades, could face a delay in the vote as a result of the recent earthquakes. Additionally, surveys conducted prior to the disaster suggested that Erdogan was already under pressure due to the high cost of living, which could worsen as the agricultural sector has been disrupted by the quakes.

Quick reconstruction promised

Erdogan has pledged to launch a rapid reconstruction effort; however, professionals have expressed concerns that if safety measures are compromised in the hurry to rebuild, it could lead to another catastrophe.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the nationalist party MHP, an Erdogan ally, has stated that they will not ignore democracy and flee from the ballot box. He added that the opposition’s criticism of the government’s response to the earthquakes and the timing of the elections is “obsessive and delusional.”

Bahceli further stated that Turkey would soon bury its opponents at the ballot box, indicating that they are confident of their party’s success in the upcoming elections.

In Antakya, a man provided comfort to another who was weeping after hearing news about individuals who died while trying to retrieve their belongings from a building that collapsed during the latest earthquake, further devastating the already-damaged city.

One of the casualties was lowered from the destroyed apartment building by a rescue team and placed in a coffin, which was then transported in a municipal van.

In Syria, which has already been ravaged by over a decade of conflict, most of the casualties from the Turkey Syria earthquakes were reported in the northwest region. The United Nations reported that 4,525 people were killed in that area, which is under the control of insurgents engaged in a war against President Bashar al-Assad.

According to Syria, 1,414 individuals lost their lives in regions under the government’s control.

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