Devastating 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern Syria and Southeastern Turkey, Leaving Over 1,350 Dead

An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck northern Syria and southeastern Turkey in the early hours, leaving more than 1,350 people confirmed dead and thousands missing. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported 912 deaths and almost 600 injuries in Turkey alone, with 326 reported dead in government-held areas in Syria and 140 in rebel-held areas.

The Turkish armed forces have established an air corridor to reach the affected zone and mobilize medical teams, search and rescue teams, and vehicles to the area. The Turkish defense minister, Hulusi Akar, released a statement announcing the mobilization of the country’s resources to respond to the disaster. Turkey’s vice president reported that 284 people have been killed and 2,323 injured in 10 provinces, but the death toll is expected to rise due to the extensive damage caused by the earthquake.

The magnitude of the biggest aftershock was 6.6, with more than 70 aftershocks reported. The authorities have declared a state of emergency in the affected provinces and are urging people not to use their mobile phones to allow rescuers to coordinate their efforts.

A level four alarm has been declared, calling for international assistance to aid in the rescue efforts. The Turkish Red Cross Relief Agency has issued an appeal for blood donations to support those affected by the disaster.

The weather conditions are severe, with heavy snowfall making it a race against time for rescue teams to save those trapped under the rubble.

Turkey is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, with the earthquake being the most severe since the 1991 earthquake that struck the eastern Marmara region, killing over 17,000 people. The government has since issued regulations to renew buildings to prevent the loss of life in the event of another earthquake.

The oil flows in the area have not been affected, but operations at the oil terminal in southern Turkey have been suspended. The natural gas flow to the affected cities has been halted, with 80 people losing their lives in the city of Gaziantep due to the earthquake.

Gaziantep and Diyarbakir, are described as bad places for an earthquake to hit. Gaziantep, an ancient city, is overcrowded with refugees from the Syrian conflict, with half a million of its two million residents being refugees.

The city is expected to have suffered extensive damage, with 1,700 buildings reported to have been completely destroyed. Gaziantep Castle, a building that has stood for nearly 2,000 years, has been badly damaged, giving an indication of the extent of the destruction in the city.

Diyarbakir, a Kurdish city, is also an ancient city with many old buildings that have stood for hundreds of years. The city has already suffered greatly in the past few decades due to the ongoing war between the Turkish state and the Kurdish minority.

Turkey has suffered earthquakes in the past and should have been prepared for the disaster, given the frequency of earthquakes in the country. The last major earthquake was in 1999, and the death toll is estimated to be between 20,000 and 45,000.