More than 500 people have been killed and over 3,000 others injured in Turkey and Syria after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit southern Turkey early Monday.
At least 284 people have died and more than 2,300 were injured in Turkey, according to the country’s Vice President Fuat Oktay.
In Syria, at least 237 people were killed and 639 injured, Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported, citing a Health Ministry official.
The total death toll across Turkey and Syria is now at least 521.
The quake is one of the strongest to hit Turkey in more than 100 years and sent tremors across the region, collapsing buildings and sending residents running into the streets.
More than 1,700 buildings were damaged across 10 Turkish cities, the Turkish vice president said.
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) said its hospitals in Syria “are overwhelmed with patients filling the hallways” following the powerful earthquake that struck Monday.
“There is an immediate need for trauma supplies and a comprehensive emergency response,” the relief organization said in a statement.
“Many hospitals are full, but some critical facilities, including Al Dana Hospital had to evacuate patients after sustaining severe damage from the earthquake. Likewise, the Idleb Maternity Hospital was forced to transfer all newborns to a nearby hospital.”
People search a collapsed building following an earthquake in Azmarin town, Idlib province, northern Syria, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. A powerful earthquake has caused significant damage in southeast Turkey and Syria and many casualties are feared. Damage was reported across several Turkish provinces, and rescue teams were being sent from around the country. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
SAMS’ president Dr. Amjad Rass said the organization has been receiving victims and working to guarantee the wellbeing of more than 1,700 staff in Syria and 90 in Gaziantep, Turkey.
The death toll across Turkey and Syria stands at more than 300, with nearly 2,000 reported injured after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit southern Turkey.
A least 18 aftershocks with a magnitude over 4 have been recorded after a powerful earthquake struck southern Turkey early Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
USGS said it recorded seven quakes with a magnitude above 5.
The strongest aftershock so far was recorded only 11 minutes after the first quake and had a magnitude of 6.7, USGS said.
Experts say strong aftershocks are likely to continue in the hours and even days to come after an earthquake as strong as the one Turkey experienced Monday morning.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant said the country is preparing to provide emergency aid to Turkey after it experienced one of the most powerful earthquakes in more than 100 years.
“The security forces are ready to offer whatever assistance is required. The security system has gained a lot of experience over the years in dealing with disaster areas and in the mission of saving lives,” Galant said in a statement.
In another statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed “deep sorrow” to the Turkish people.
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I would like to express deep sorrow to the Turkish people for the severe earthquake that struck southern Turkey tonight,” Cohen said.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and we wish the injured a speedy recovery. I instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lead a rapid aid program for Turkey to deal with the severe disaster.”
There have been no reports of injuries or damage so far in Israel, though shaking from the 7.8 magnitude quake could be felt in the country.