ANKARA: More than 500 people were killed and scores injured as a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday.
Buildings came crashing down while infrastructure was badly damaged as people were still asleep early on a cold winter morning. The people who survived had to rush out of their houses still in their sleeping clothes with snow outside while hundreds were buried in the debris.
According to foreign media reports, the major earthquake struck at 04:17am local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 17.9 kilometres near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which is home to around two million people, the US Geological Survey said. Tremors were also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.
Vice President Fuat Oktay said at least 284 people died in Turkey, adding that more than 2,300 people were injured. He said search and rescue work was continuing in several cities.
A Syrian government health official said the quake hit mostly in Hama, Aleppo and Latakia provinces and has left 237 dead and around 600 injured while according to a rescue service official many people also died in the northwest region.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his sympathies and urged national unity. “We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” the Turkish leader tweeted.
Condolences and sympathies on the deaths, injuries and damages poured in from around the world, including that from United States, European Union, Russia, Italy, Greece and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday extended condolences to Turkey and Syria over the loss of lives from a massive earthquake.
In their separate messages, both expressed grief and conveyed sympathies to the governments and people of the quake-hit Turkey and Syria.
President Alvi said, “In this hour of grief, I and the Pakistani nation stand in solidarity with the people of Turkey and Syria.”
He prayed for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the grant of patience to the bereaved families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was deeply saddened by the news of a massive earthquake that struck the southeastern region of Turkey and Syria.
He extended his profound condolences and sincere sympathies to the leadership and people of the two countries on the human and material loss.
The Foreign Office in a statement expressed grief over the loss caused by the severe earthquake.
“Pakistan stands ready to extend all possible support in the relief effort. We are confident that the resilient Turkish nation will overcome this natural calamity with characteristic grit and determination,” it said.
Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz also expressed their grief and offered their condolences to Turkey and Syria in tweets.
Deeply saddened by the precious loss of life and widespread damage to property caused by the earthquake in Southern 🇹🇷 today. Our thoughts and prayers with our Turkish brethren in this moment of grief. 🇵🇰 will extend all possible support .
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) February 6, 2023
Our prayers & condolences go our brethren in Turkiye, Syria & Lebanon on the precious lives lost in the devastation of the earthquake. We stand ready to offer all humanitarian assistance needed.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 6, 2023
My earnest prayers for the people of #Turkiye and affected neighbouring countries after the devastating earthquake in the region. May Allah help the victims as they recover from this calamity. In this hour of distress, we stand with you.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 6, 2023
It is the most severe quake in Turkey since 1999 when a similar magnitude quake devastated Izmit and the heavily populated eastern Marmara Sea region near Istanbul, killing more than 17,000.
Turkey is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. More than 17,000 people were killed in 1999 when a 7.6-magnitude quake struck Izmit, a city southeast of Istanbul. In 2011, a quake in the eastern city of Van killed more than 500.
