Strong tremors of earthquake they hit the southeast of the Turkey and the north of the Syria. The balance sheet is tragic, unfortunately for the moment only partial: they are more than 2.300 victims of the disaster, thousands were injured. According to estimates by USG, the American site on seismic monitoring, 10 victims could be reached. The first shock, of 7.8 magnitude, took place during the night, at 4:17 local time (2:17 in Italy). The second, of magnitude 7.5, it took place at 11.24, Italian time. Amidst 120 aftershocks, 43 of which were of magnitude 4,3 or higher.
Based on data from Ingv and Usgs, the first earthquake that occurred at had its hypocenter at a depth of about 25 km and its epicenter in the province of Gaziantep, a city in southeastern Turkey about fifty kilometers from the Syrian border. The second was located 4 km southeast of Ekinozu, in the province of Elazog, at a depth of 10 km. The area is located about 200 km as the crow flies north-east of the first earthquake.
The earthquake was also felt in Lebanon. Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi reported that there are no victims in Lebanon but has ordered the civil protection to secure civilians in areas where there are dangerous buildings and infrastructures. Meanwhile, at 11.23 local time, an earthquake measuring 4,6 on the Richter scale also struck Cyprus.
“We are coping the largest earthquake we have seen in 24 years in this region. There have been 100 aftershocks so far. About 53 of them are more than 4 degrees (on the Richter scale). Seven of them are more than 5 degrees. We can say that these earthquakes will continue in the next few days”. said Dr. Haluk Özener, director of the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, as reported by the BBC in Turkish.
Meanwhile it was the tsunami warning issued in Italy was revoked after the earthquake. The forecasts indicated a possible arrival of the wave in Italy at 6.30, along the Calabrian coast. For this reason and as a precaution, from 6.30, the railway traffic was interrupted starting from the southern regions of Sicily, Calabria and Puglia.
The situation in Türkiye after the earthquake
In Turkey, according to the latest bulletin, 1.500 would be dead, at least 7.600 wounded, but the toll - warn the authorities - is destined to rise. The earthquake particularly affected the provinces of Adana, Malatya, Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Hatay, Adiyaman, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa and Kahramanmaras.
“The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Turkey last night was iThe largest disaster recorded in the country since 1939”: said the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as reported by the Guardian. According to media reports, the Turkish leader was referring to the Erzincan earthquake, which claimed the lives of some 33.000 people 84 years ago. The 1999 İzmit earthquake, measuring 7.6, is believed to have killed more than 17.000 people.
Hundreds of them destroyed buildings by the earthquake: in addition to the houses, the Church of the Annunciation of Iskenderun, a Catholic cathedral dating back to the 19th century, almost completely collapsed. The castle of Gaziantep, a Roman-era structure built in the third century, has been reduced to rubble. Rescue operations continue, it is estimated that many people are still under the rubble and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is constantly informed about the situation. The port of Iskenderun in southern Turkey was also seriously damaged.
The situation in Syria
The provisional balance sheet is also tragic Syria, where the confirmed victims for the moment are 810. Thousands are missing and wounded. The NGO of Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets (White Helmets) has declared a state of emergency in the north-east of the country and has launched an appeal to international humanitarian organizations to intervene with aid quickly.
Reactions from around the world
Pope Francis was "deeply saddened by the massive loss of life" caused by the earthquake in south-eastern Turkey, assuring all those affected "of his spiritual closeness". And in addition to her "closeness" and her "condolences", she expresses encouragement to the rescue personnel. The Pontiff also expresses similar sentiments for the victims caused by the earthquake in the area of north-west Syria. This can be read in two telegrams sent, in the name of the Pope, by Cardinal Pietro Parolin to the apostolic nuncios in Turkey and Syria, mgr. Marek Solczynski and card. Mario Zenari.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen expressed “Full solidarity after the terrible earthquake this morning. We join in the pain of the families of the victims".
“A devastating earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria this morning, killing hundreds of people and injuring many more. Our thoughts are with the people of Turkey and Syria. The EU is ready to help”: the High Representative for Foreign Policy wrote in a tweet Joseph Borrell. “Ten urban search and rescue teams were quickly mobilized from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania to support first responders in the field. Italy and Hungary have also offered their rescue teams to Turkey”, reads a note signed by Borrell and by the European Commissioner for Emergencies, Janez Lenarcic. "The EU emergency response coordination center is in direct contact with the Turkish authorities to coordinate further aid, if necessary", continues the note which specifies that the EU's Copernicus satellite system has also been activated to provide emergency mapping services.
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports of today's terrible earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. We are ready to provide all necessary assistance. President Biden has tasked USAID to evaluate US response options to help those most affected. We will continue to monitor the situation closely in coordination with the government of Turkey,” she said White House in a statement.
The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences to the earthquake victims on Twitter and offered assistance: “We stand by the Turkish people in this difficult time. We are ready to provide the necessary assistance to overcome the consequences of the disaster”.
The Russian president also says he is ready to provide assistance Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin, as Tass reports, quoted Putin's condolence telegram to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan: "We are ready to provide the necessary assistance following the earthquake." "Russia is close to the Syrian people hit hard by tonight's earthquake," read a message sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin to his Syrian colleague Bashar al Assad, according to a transcript by the Syrian government agency Sana.
Farnesina: "No Italian victims or wounded"
“Following the violent earthquake that hit the regions of southern Turkey and northern Syria last night at 4:17, the Crisis Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made contact with compatriots present in the country and is acting in close collaboration with the Italian diplomatic-consular representations in the area to verify the conditions of the Italian communities in the affected areas. At the moment noThere are no wounded or dead among compatriots“, specifies the Farnesina.
"All Italians present in the areas affected for any reason, even temporarily, are requested to register on the "Where we are in the world" website and download the "Crisis Unit" APP for mobile phones, activating geolocation".
(Last update: 18pm on Monday 6 February)
