Turkey-Syria Earthquake: More than 2,300 Killed in Two Powerful Quakes

Two powerful earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria, leaving more than 2,300 people dead, destroying thousands of buildings and prompting a massive rescue operation in the region.

The first 7.8-magnitude quake was felt across four countries on Monday morning. It was followed by a series of aftershocks and then a 7.5-magnitude quake in the afternoon that authorities said was separate from the first. More than 8,000 people were injured and over 2,800 buildings destroyed in Turkey, authorities there said.

The quakes were Turkey’s worst seismic event in decades, rocking an area around the city of Gaziantep that is home to millions of Turkish citizens, displaced Syrians and refugees.

Syria shut its main oil refinery after it was damaged by the quake, according to state news agency SANA, as it faces its most severe fuel crisis in a decade.
 

Antakya is pretty grim #TurkeyQuake pic.twitter.com/oFme2V8ROJ

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) February 6, 2023