A 7.8 magnitude earthquake was felt Monday morning in southern Turkey, northern Syria, and to some extent in parts of Israel. The US Geological Survey reported that the depth of the earthquake was 24.1 km and that additional aftershocks of magnitude 6.7 also occurred.
The latest report from Turkey says that over 1300 are dead and thousands injured, amidst dozens of collapsed buildings in the south of the country. Syrians too woke up to the destruction caused by the earthquake, with collapsed buildings reported in major cities such as Aleppo. According to the reports, about 237 people were killed in Syria, and more than 600 were injured.
BREAKING: Massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Turkey and Syria. More than 200 people are dead.
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) February 6, 2023
Israel is preparing to extend immediate assistance to Turkey. #earthquake pic.twitter.com/98UEURZW67
As a result, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad convened an urgent meeting to discuss the earthquake damage. In addition, a rogue civil defense organization operating in Syria, informed that there is a fear of hundreds more dead and trapped in the ruins of the buildings that collapsed in the city of Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and declared the place a "disaster-stricken area".
In the meantime on the Israeli side of the fence, Defense Minister Yoav Galant instructed the Israel Defense Forces and the Ministry of Defense to immediately prepare to provide emergency assistance through the rescue units of the IDF’s Home Front Command. Minister Galant said that "the security forces are prepared to offer any assistance that may be required. The security system has gained a lot of experience over the years in dealing with disaster areas and life-saving missions.”
I instructed the @IsraelMFA to lead a rapid aid program for Turkey to deal with the severe disaster.
— אלי כהן | Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) February 6, 2023
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen added: "On behalf of the State of Israel, I would like to express deep sorrow to the Turkish people for the severe earthquake that struck southern Turkey tonight. Our hearts go out to the victims and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. I have instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lead a rapid aid program for Turkey.
Additionally, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lior Hayit, informed that "at this stage, no Israelis are known to be involved. The affected areas are not places where there are usually Israeli travelers. We continue to check with the authorities in Turkey."
A 2200-year-old fortress in Turkey (Gaziantep) was completely wiped out by the earthquake pic.twitter.com/ftcopAak6A
— Israel & USA forever (@israelUSAforeve) February 6, 2023
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan posted on his Twitter account and wrote: "I convey my best wishes to all the citizens of the country who were affected by the earthquake that occurred in Karamanmarsh and was felt in many parts of our country. All our relevant units are on standby." The Turkish Minister of the Interior said: "There are reports from many places, the search teams have been sent to all areas." An earthquake of this magnitude has not been felt in the region since 1939.
