On the night of February 6, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck southern Turkey and Syria . The death toll in the countries exceeds 500 people. In Turkish provinces, 284 people were killed and 2,323 were injured , while in the Syrian Arab Republic, 237 people were killed and 639 were injured. This is reported by the Turkish media and Russian agencies, including TASS.
How was the earthquake in Turkey and Syria?
The earthquake occurred in the province of Kahramanmarash in the Pazardzhik region at a depth of 7 kilometers at 04:17 local time, which coincides with Moscow. After some time, three more earthquakes occurred in the province of Gaziantep - a magnitude of 6.4 to 6.6. Here, a natural cataclysm destroyed the historical fortress built in the era of the Roman Empire. In total, the earthquake was felt in 10 provinces, including Kahramanmarai, Gaziantep, Khatai, Osmaniye, Adimyaman, Malatya, Diyarbakir.
The most terrible destruction was recorded in Adana, Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Kahramanmarash, Malatya, Sanliurfa. More than 1,700 buildings collapsed in cities, including high-rise buildings. An explosion occurred on a gas pipeline in the Turkish province of Hanai after the earthquake .
The earthquake also affected Syria (SAR). Most people were affected in the provinces of Latakia, Aleppo, Hama and Tartus. In the north of the country , railway communication has stopped , the state of roads and bridges is being checked. In the city of Aleppo , the citadel, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, suffered damage : its first fortifications were built from 944 to 957 AD.
Rescue work in the affected areas continues right now.
Were the Russians in Turkey affected by the earthquake?
The Russian Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Antalya and Istanbul did not receive reports of Russians injured due to the earthquake. ATOR added that there were no organized Russian tourists in the disaster area.
The Russians who moved to Turkey spoke about their experiences. You can read about this in the material "Fontanka" .
Russian leader Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Presidents Assad and Erdogan in connection with the incident. He also expressed readiness to provide countries with any assistance.
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