UTC
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
), a 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and northern and western
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
. The
epicenter
The epicenter (), epicentre, or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates.
Determination
The primary purpose of a ...
was west–northwest of
Gaziantep
Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Medi ...
. The earthquake had a maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (''Extreme'') around the epicenter and in
Antakya
Antakya (), Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is . Prior to the devastating 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, 2023 earthquakes, its population was recorded ...
. It was followed by a 7.7 earthquake at 13:24. This earthquake was centered north-northeast from the first. There was widespread damage and tens of thousands of fatalities.
The 7.8 earthquake is the largest in Turkey since the
1939 Erzincan earthquake
An earthquake struck Turkey's eastern Erzincan Province at with a moment magnitude () of 7.8 and maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (''Extreme''). It is tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes as the most powerful earthquake in Turkey to ...
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
coast of Turkey. There were more than 30,000 aftershocks in the three months that followed. The seismic sequence was the result of shallow
strike-slip
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...
faulting along segments of the Dead Sea Transform, East Anatolian and Sürgü–Çardak faults.
There was widespread damage in an area of about , about the size of
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. An estimated 14 million people, or 16 percent of Turkey's population, were affected. Development experts from the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
estimated that about 1.5 million people were left homeless.
The confirmed death toll in Turkey was 53,537; estimates of the number of dead in Syria were between 5,951 and 8,476. It is the deadliest earthquake in what is now present-day Turkey since the 526 Antioch earthquake and the deadliest natural disaster in its modern history. It is also the deadliest in present-day Syria since the 1822 Aleppo earthquake; the deadliest earthquake or
natural disaster
A natural disaster is the very harmful impact on a society or community brought by natural phenomenon or Hazard#Natural hazard, hazard. Some examples of natural hazards include avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods, heat waves, landslides ...
in general since the
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake that struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest (departm ...
; and the fifth-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century. The damage was estimated at US$148.8 billion in Turkey, or nine-percent of the country's GDP, and US$9 billion in Syria.
Damaged roads, winter storms, and disruption to communications hampered the
's rescue and relief effort, which included a 60,000-strong search-and-rescue force, 5,000 health workers and 30,000 volunteers. Following Turkey's call for international help, more than 141,000 people from 94 countries joined the rescue effort.
Tectonic setting
Geology
Central southern Turkey and northwestern Syria are affected by the interaction between three
tectonic plates
Plate tectonics (, ) is the scientific theory that the Earth's lithosphere comprises a number of large tectonic plates, which have been slowly moving since 3–4 billion years ago. The model builds on the concept of , an idea developed durin ...
Dead Sea Transform
The Dead Sea Transform (DST) fault system, also sometimes referred to as the Dead Sea Rift, is a series of Fault (geology), faults that run for about 1,000 km from the Marash triple junction (a junction with the East Anatolian Fault in south ...
(DST)—a major zone of left-lateral
strike-slip
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...
fault—it accommodates the relative northward movement of Arabia with respect to Africa. The northern end of the DST truncates at the
East Anatolian Fault
The East Anatolian Fault (EAF; ) is a ~700 km long major strike-slip fault zone running from eastern to south-central Turkey. It forms the transform type tectonic boundary between the Anatolian sub-plate and the northward-moving Arabian ...
(EAF), another major left-lateral strike-slip fault zone that accommodates the overall westward movement of the Anatolian plate as it is extruded in that direction by the northward movement of the Arabian plate. The DST and EAF meet at the
Marash triple junction
The Maraş triple junction is a geologic triple junction of three tectonic plates: the Anatolian plate, the African plate and the Arabian plate.
The Maraş triple junction is found where the side-by-side African and Arabian plates, both drift ...
. The EAF continues west of the
triple junction
A triple junction is the point where the boundaries of three tectonic plates meet. At the triple junction each of the three boundaries will be one of three types – a ridge (R), trench (T) or transform fault (F) – and triple junctions can be ...
, forming the boundary between the African and Anatolian plates, linking into the Cyprus arc to the west via the Latakia Ridge.
The EAF is subdivided into seven segments, from the northeast; the Karlıova, Ilıca,
Palu
Palu, officially known as the City of Palu ( Indonesian: ''Kota Palu''), is the capital and largest city of Central Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. Palu is located on the northwestern coast of Sulawesi and borders Donggala Regency to the north ...
Pazarcık
Pazarcık () is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,253 km2, and its population is 70,173 (2022). It is in the southeastern part of the province. The cement plant is a major source of greenhouse ga ...
and Amanos segments. The Amanos segment is also considered part of the DST by some geologists, or a transitional structure between the EAF and DST by others. A northern strand to the EAF has also been recognized, including the Sürgü, Çardak, Savrun, Çokak, Toprakkale, Yumurtalık, Karataş, Yakapınar and Düziçi–İskenderun segments. The estimated slip rate on the main strand of the EAF system decreases south-westwards from per year on the Karlıova segment down to per year on the Amanos segment. On the northern strand, a slip rate of per year was estimated on the Çardak segment. The Sürgü-Çardak Fault is an east–west striking long fault that runs north of the EAF. It branches away from the EAF west of Çelikhan and extends westwards to Göksun. Comprising two segments; the Sürgü Fault runs between Çelikhan and Nurhak; the Çardak Fault runs between Nurhak and Göksun. Seismicity on the fault is low—the only associated earthquake was a M 6.8 event in 1544.
The northern part of the DST is subdivided into several segments, although there is some disagreement between scientists as to which faults should be assigned to the DST and which to the EAF, at the northernmost end of the structure. Following the 2013 "Active Fault Map of Turkey", seven DST segments are recognized in Turkey and neighbouring parts of Syria; the Afrin, Sermada, Armanaz, Hacıpaşa, Yesemek, Sakçagöz and Narlı segments.
Seismicity
The EAF has produced large or damaging earthquakes in the past few hundred years along various segments, including the 1789 (M 7.2, Palu), 1795 (M 7.0, Pazarcık), 1866 (M 7.2 Karlıova),1872 (M 7.2, Amanos), 1874 (M 7.1, Palu), 1875 (M 6.7, Palu), 1893 (M 7.1, Erkenek), 1971 (M6.6, Karlıova) and 2020 (M 6.8, Pütürge) events. Other large historical earthquakes have been tentatively assigned to segments of the EAF, such as the
1114
Year 1114 (Roman numerals, MCXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* January 7 – Emperor Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V marries Empress Maud, Matilda (or Maude), 11-yea ...
and 1513 Marash earthquakes, both thought to have ruptured the Pazarcık segment.
The Palu and Pütürge segments in the east display a recurrence interval of about 150 years for M 6.8–7.0 earthquakes. The Pazarcık and Amanos segments in the west have recurrence intervals of 237–772 years and 414–917 years, respectively, for M 7.0–7.4 earthquakes. A research paper published by ''
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
''Earth and Planetary Science Letters'' (EPSL) is a bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on physical, chemical and mechanical processes of the Earth and other planets, including extrasolar ones. Topics covered range from de ...
'' in 2002 studied stress accumulation and increased seismic hazard along the East Anatolian Fault. The study concluded two sections of the fault with a considerably high potential for future earthquakes. One of these sections was in Elazığ and Bingöl, located between the rupture zones of the 1874 and 1971 earthquakes. The
seismic gap A seismic gap is a segment of an active fault known to produce significant earthquakes that has not slipped in an unusually long time, compared with other segments along the same structure. There is a hypothesis or theory that states that over long ...
ruptured during a 6.1 earthquake in 2010. The 2020 6.8 earthquake ruptured to the southwest between the 1893/1905 and 1874 earthquakes. Another seismic gap was located in Kahramanmaraş—this long section—according to the study, believed to last rupture in 1513 has the potential to produce magnitude 7.3 earthquakes.
Large earthquakes on the northern part of the DST include events in 115, 526, 587,
1138
Year 1138 (Roman numerals, MCXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* March 7 – Conrad III of Germany, Conrad III is elected as King of the Romans#List, King of Germany, i ...
,
1170
Year 1170 ( MCLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Levant
* Winter – Egyptian forces, led by Saladin, invade the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and besiege Darum on the Mediterranean coast ...
and 1822, which resulted in several tens of thousands to several hundreds of thousands of fatalities.
Earthquake sequence
The first and largest earthquake in the sequence struck at 01:17 UTC. The
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
GEOSCOPE
The Geoscope was a proposal by Buckminster Fuller around 1960 to create a globe that would be covered in colored lights so that it could function as a large spherical display. It was envisioned that the Geoscope would be connected to computers w ...
reported 8.0 and
Kandilli Observatory
Kandilli Observatory, or more formally Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI; ) is a Turkish observatory, which is also specialized on earthquake research. It is situated in Kandilli neighborhood of Üsküdar district on t ...
(KOERI) reported 7.7 and 7.4. It had an
epicenter
The epicenter (), epicentre, or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates.
Determination
The primary purpose of a ...
west of
Gaziantep
Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Medi ...
in
Gaziantep Province
Gaziantep Province () is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality in south-central Turkey. It is located in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in ...
, which is near the border with Syria. The earthquake
hypocenter
A hypocenter or hypocentre (), also called ground zero or surface zero, is the point on the Earth's surface directly below a nuclear explosion, meteor air burst, or other mid-air explosion. In seismology, the hypocenter of an earthquake is its ...
was at a depth of according to USGS and according to KOERI. The shock had a
focal mechanism
The focal mechanism of an earthquake describes the Fault (geology)#Slip.2C heave.2C throw, deformation in the Hypocenter, source region that generates the seismic waves. In the case of a Fault (geology), fault-related event, it refers to the ori ...
corresponding to
strike-slip faulting
In geology, a fault is a Fracture (geology), planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of Rock (geology), rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust (geology ...
.
It is one of the strongest ever recorded in Turkey, equivalent in magnitude to the
1939 Erzincan earthquake
An earthquake struck Turkey's eastern Erzincan Province at with a moment magnitude () of 7.8 and maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (''Extreme''). It is tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes as the most powerful earthquake in Turkey to ...
(7.8). These earthquakes are surpassed only by the larger estimates for the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake. Globally it was the strongest recorded since August 2021.
At 10:24 UTC, an earthquake measuring 7.5 according to USGS, 7.6 according to KOERI, or 7.7 according to Geoscope and the GCMT, struck with an epicenter near
Ekinözü
Ekinözü is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 656 km2, and its population is 10,290 (2022).
The town was north of the epicenter of a 7.5 earthquake on 6 February 2023—the latter of two large ea ...
, 95 km northeast of the M7.8 event. It had a depth of according to the USGS, by KOERI, and by Geoscope. The shock was also the result of strike-slip faulting; it had an epicenter north of the previous large earthquake.
A reevaluation of the earthquakes using long-period coda
moment magnitude
The moment magnitude scale (MMS; denoted explicitly with or Mwg, and generally implied with use of a single M for magnitude) is a measure of an earthquake's magnitude ("size" or strength) based on its seismic moment. was defined in a 1979 paper ...
obtained 7.95 ± 0.013 and 7.86 ± 0.012, respectively. These earthquakes were some of the largest Turkish earthquakes in over 2,000 years. Both earthquakes are the largest and only observed to occur on land within a short span of time.
Aftershocks
Over 570 aftershocks were recorded within 24 hours of the 7.8 earthquake and over 30,000 recorded by May 2023. An
aftershock
In seismology, an aftershock is a smaller earthquake that follows a larger earthquake, in Epicenter, the same area of the Mainshock, main shock, caused as the displaced Crust (geology), crust adjusts to the effects of the main shock. Large earthq ...
measuring 6.7 occurred about 11 minutes after the
mainshock
In seismology, the mainshock is the largest earthquake in a sequence, sometimes preceded by one or more foreshocks, and almost always followed by many aftershocks.
Foreshock
A foreshock is an earthquake that occurs before a larger seismic ev ...
. There were 25 aftershocks 4.0 or greater recorded within six hours of the main tremor, according to the USGS. More than 12 hours later, the USGS had reported at least 54 aftershocks of 4.3 or greater magnitude, while the Turkish
(AFAD) recorded at least 120 total aftershocks.
The 7.8 earthquake had aftershocks distributed along about of the EAF. A 6.3 aftershock struck near Uzunbağ in Hatay Province on 20 February; the earthquake was the result of oblique-normal faulting. This 6.3 event produced an independent cluster of aftershocks with a similar focal mechanism. Aftershocks from the sequence also occurred in the
Gulf of Alexandretta
The Gulf of Alexandretta or İskenderun () is a gulf of the eastern Mediterranean or Levantine Sea. It lies beside the southern Turkish provinces of Adana and Hatay.
Names
The gulf is named for the nearby Turkish city of İskenderun, the cl ...
, consistent with a northwest–southeast striking fault that produced the large aftershock. This aftershock occurred because the 7.8 event transferred sufficient on another normal fault sufficient for it to fail.
The 7.7 earthquake triggered its own aftershock sequence, including two 6.0 aftershocks. Aftershocks of the second earthquake continued through at least 9 February. Thousands of aftershocks associated with this earthquake were distributed along an east–west trend corresponding to the Çardak Fault for about .
Seismology
A source model for the 7.8 earthquake produced by the USGS from observed seismic waves, taking into account preliminary rupture mapping from satellite data, uses three fault segments with individual lengths, widths, strikes and dips of > × , 028°/85° (Segment 1), > × , 060°/85° (Segment 2) and > × , 025°/75° (Segment 3). The mainshock produced a maximum slip of along Segment 2, beneath Sakarya in Kahramanmaraş Province, northeast of the junction where it meets Segment 1. Another zone of large slip estimated at occurred further northeast along Segment 2, northwest of Adıyaman.
The USGS source model for the 7.7 earthquake which struck nine hours later has three large fault segments with individual lengths, widths, strikes and dips of > × >, 276°/80° (Segment 1), > × >, 250°/80° (Segment 2) and ~ × >, 060°/80° (Segment 3). Maximum displacement occurred on Segment 1 at .
Three segments of the EAF were involved in the 7.8 rupture; the Amanos, Pazarcık and Erkenek segments. The earthquake ruptured ~ of the EAF, producing a maximum slip of up to ~ along the Pazarcık segment. The northern end of the rupture was about south of the 6.8 earthquake that struck in 2020. This section of the EAF, the Pütürge segment, between both earthquakes, may represent a
seismic gap A seismic gap is a segment of an active fault known to produce significant earthquakes that has not slipped in an unusually long time, compared with other segments along the same structure. There is a hypothesis or theory that states that over long ...
. The southern segment of the EAF rupture was at its termination, near Antakya. Slip peaked at from the surface to depth during the 7.7 earthquake; slip was at the surface. Slip along the fault was compact—mostly confined to within the Çardak Fault; it was also shallower—attenuating from . Slip during the 7.8 event extended to and for the 7.7 event. The 6.4 aftershock that struck Antakya on 20 February had a rupture area of × and produced a peak slip of at depth.
Preliminary analysis of the effects of stress changes caused by the M7.8 earthquake on the Çardak–Sürgü Fault, based on the USGS fault model, indicated up to 3 bars of added stress near the epicenter of the M7.7 shock, sufficient to trigger rupture on that zone, assuming that it was already close to failure. Stress on the Hatay Fault, source of the 20 February 6.4 aftershock, increased by 1 bar following the 6 February earthquakes.
Rupture propagation
Preliminary analysis based on seismology and observations of surface rupture suggest rupture along a branch of the DST before transitioning onto the EAF where most of the faulting was observed. The initial rupture at the site of the epicenter of the M7.8 shock on the Narlı Fault, the northernmost section of the DST. The fault ruptured unilaterally northwards until it reached the Pazarcık segment of the East Anatolian Fault. Ruptures then continued bilaterally to the northeast and southwest along this segment. This subevent on the Narlı Fault corresponded to a 7.0 earthquake which ruptured for 20 seconds. It had a focal mechanism corresponding to oblique-normal faulting. A preliminary analysis of near-field (within of the fault rupture) seismic records indicates that the initial rupture speed transitioned to supershear after propagating about away from the epicenter along the Narlı Fault before it reached the EAF.
Back projection
Rear projection (background projection, process photography, etc.) is one of many in-camera effects cinematic techniques
in film production for combining foreground performances with pre-filmed backgrounds. It was widely used for many years in ...
suggests the total rupture length was ~.
The rupture continued northeast onto the Ekernek segment and to the southwest onto the Amanos segment. The northeastern rupture ceased 55 seconds after initiation while the southwestern rupture ceased near Antakya about 80 seconds later. A 6.8 aftershock occurring 11 minutes later and west of the first M>7 epicenter may have ruptured along the Sakçagöz Fault, the next segment of the DST to the south. Rupture along the EAF during the event occurred at subshear velocity (maximum per second). An analysis of near-field seismic data revealed transient supershear rupture episodes throughout the EAF rupture. Supershear rupture occurred along the northernmost section of the Narlı Fault where it meets the EAF. The rupture transitioned onto the EAF and propagated northeast at supershear velocity until its termination near Malatya. Rupture towards the southwest was mostly subshear, but at the southern termination in Hatay, where the fault has multiple branches and kinks, supershear was likely observed. Supershear rupture at the southern termination contributed to the intense ground motion in Antakya.
The second M>7 earthquake initiated on a separate fault known as the Çardak– Sürgü Fault Zone, part of the northern strand of the East Anatolian Fault. The rupture propagated bilaterally along the Çardak segment, continuing eastwards onto the Sürgü segment before continuing eastwards to Malatya along the northeast–southwest trending Doğanşehir Fault Zone. Rupture also propagated towards the southwest along the Çardak segment. The total rupture length was estimated at . The westward-propagating rupture occurred at supershear velocity (maximum per second) while the eastward-propagating rupture occurred at subshear velocity (maximum per second). The rupture lasted about 35 seconds.
The 6.4 aftershock on 20 February occurred along the Hatay Fault. The focal mechanism indicated normal faulting along a northeast–southwest striking fault.
Surface rupture
The extent of surface ruptures associated with the M7.8 and M7.7 earthquakes have been mapped using a mixture of satellite imagery and ground observations. Pixel matching on images captured by
Sentinel-1
Sentinel-1 is the first of the Copernicus Programme satellite constellations conducted by the European Space Agency. The mission was originally composed of a constellation of two satellites, Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B, which shared the same orbi ...
before and after the earthquakes showed sharp discontinuities in displacement, revealing two separate zones of
surface rupture
In seismology, surface rupture (or ground rupture, or ground displacement) is the visible offset of the ground surface when an earthquake rupture along a Fault (geology), fault affects the Earth's surface. Surface rupture is opposed by buried rup ...
. The longer of the pair, produced by the first earthquake, measured while the second earthquake produced of surface rupture. These observations were backed up with direct imaging of the ruptures using other satellite data, such as from the
DigitalGlobe
DigitalGlobe was an American commercial vendor of space imagery and geospatial content, and operator of civilian remote sensing spacecraft. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange on 14 May 2009, selling 14.7 million shares at U ...
's
WorldView-1
WorldView-1 (WV 1) is a commercial Earth observation satellite owned by DigitalGlobe. WorldView-1 was launched on 18 September 2007, followed later by the WorldView-2 in 2009. First imagery from ''WorldView-1'' was available in October 2007, prior ...
GeoEye-1
''GeoEye-1'' is a high-resolution Earth observation satellite owned by Maxar Technologies (formerly DigitalGlobe), launched in September 2008. The satellite was acquired in the 2013 purchase of GeoEye.
History
On 1 December 2004, General Dynam ...
, and by field work. The surface rupture and focal mechanism during the first subevent on the Narlı Fault also indicated a large normal faulting component.
The zone of surface rupture extended from north of Antakya, Hatay Province towards
Pazarcık
Pazarcık () is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,253 km2, and its population is 70,173 (2022). It is in the southeastern part of the province. The cement plant is a major source of greenhouse ga ...
, Kahramanmaraş Province and Gölbaşı, Adıyaman Province. Surface ruptures continued north of these cities. Surface rupture occurred in the Amik Valley. The westernmost part of Hatay Airport was damaged by surface ruptures but cracks in the runway were attributed to ground deformation. A major canal was damaged and lead to flooding in parts of the Amik Valley which was formerly
Lake Amik
Lake Amik or the Lake of Antioch (; ) was a large freshwater lake in the basin of the Orontes River in Hatay Province, Turkey. It was located north-east of the ancient city of Antioch (modern Antakya). The lake was drained between the 1940s–1970s ...
. Field observations indicate a maximum displacement of on the surface. Geologists traced a surface rupture trending south from
Pazarcık
Pazarcık () is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,253 km2, and its population is 70,173 (2022). It is in the southeastern part of the province. The cement plant is a major source of greenhouse ga ...
with an offset of . From Golbasi to Nurdağı ground displacements were up to . The surface rupture observed during the M7.8 earthquake was unusually large, comparable to that during the
1906 San Francisco earthquake
At 05:12 AM Pacific Time Zone, Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, the coast of Northern California was struck by a major earthquake with an estimated Moment magnitude scale, moment magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum Mercalli inte ...
along the
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental Fault (geology)#Strike-slip faults, right-lateral strike-slip transform fault that extends roughly through the U.S. state of California. It forms part of the tectonics, tectonic boundary between the Paci ...
.
Large surface offsets of were observed along the Sürgü-Çardak Fault. Along a road west of , the rupture displaced the road left-laterally for . The largest maximum surface offset was ; one of the largest surface offsets ever observed from an earthquake.
Ground motion
Ground acceleration
Peak ground acceleration (PGA) is equal to the maximum ground acceleration that occurred during earthquake shaking at a location. PGA is equal to the amplitude of the largest absolute acceleration recorded on an wikt:accelerogram, accelerogram at a ...
values recorded in some areas near the fault rupture were in excess of 1 '' g''. Three USGS seismic installations, two at Antakya and one at Hassa, recorded large ground accelerations and velocities. The town of Hassa recorded 0.9082 ''g'' in ground acceleration (pga) and in ground velocity. The station data corresponded to a Modified Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). A peak ground acceleration of 1.62 ''g'' was recorded by a station at Fevzipaşa. The peak ground acceleration generally exceeded 0.5 ''g'' in a large area around the epicenter, near Adiyaman and a large part of Hatay. High pga values of 2 ''g'' were recorded in Hatay. The maximum recorded pga was 2.212 ''g'' at a station in Pazarcık Belediyesi Parkı, Pazarcık; a government health facility nearby had limited damage but the surrounding town was devastated. The maximum recorded pga during the 7.7 earthquake was 0.59 ''g'' at
Göksun
Göksun (, or , ''Koukousós''; or ; ) is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,942 km2, and its population is 50,676 (2022). It is near one of the sources of the Ceyhan River (ancient Pyramos), in the ...
.
According to
Kandilli Observatory
Kandilli Observatory, or more formally Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI; ) is a Turkish observatory, which is also specialized on earthquake research. It is situated in Kandilli neighborhood of Üsküdar district on t ...
, the maximum Mercalli intensity (MMI) of the mainshock was estimated to have reached MMI XI–XII (''Extreme'') in
Antakya
Antakya (), Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is . Prior to the devastating 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, 2023 earthquakes, its population was recorded ...
and near the epicenter. MMI XI (''Extreme'') or higher was observed along the fault rupture from the epicenter to Antakya. The MMI also reached IX–X (''Violent''–''Extreme'') in
Kahramanmaraş
Kahramanmaraş (), historically Marash (; ) and Germanicea (), is a city in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean region of Turkey and the administrative centre of Kahramanmaraş Province, Kahramanmaraş province. After 1973, Maraş was ...
and
İskenderun
İskenderun (), historically known as Alexandretta (, ) and Scanderoon, is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 247 km2, and its population is 251,682 (2022). It is on the Mediterranean coas ...
, VIII–IX (''Severe''–''Violent'') in
Malatya
Malatya (; ; Syriac language, Syriac ܡܠܝܛܝܢܐ Malīṭīná; ; Ancient Greek: Μελιτηνή) is a city in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey and the capital of Malatya Province. The city has been a human settlement for thousands of y ...
and
Adıyaman
Adıyaman () is a city in southeastern Turkey. It is the administrative centre of Adıyaman Province and Adıyaman District. Its population is 267,131 (2021). The inhabitants of the city are mostly Turkish and Kurdish.
The city was one of the ...
, VII–VIII (''Very strong''–''Severe'') in
Gaziantep
Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Medi ...
,
Kilis
Kilis is a city in southernmost Turkey, near the Syria–Turkey border, border with Syria, and the administrative centre of Kilis Province and Kilis District. Its population is 112,187 (2022).
On 6 February 2023 Kilis was badly affected by the tw ...
,
Idlib
Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey.
History
...
and
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
, and VI–VII (''Strong''–''Very strong'') in
Adana
Adana is a large city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province, Adana province, and has a population of 1 81 ...
and
Şanlıurfa
Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa (), is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. The city was known as Edessa from Hellenistic times and into Christian times. Urfa is situated on a plain about east of the Eup ...
. The maximum MMI of the second earthquake was XI (''Extreme'').
Geological effects
Liquefaction
In materials science, liquefaction is a process that generates a liquid from a solid or a gas or that generates a non-liquid phase which behaves in accordance with fluid dynamics.
It occurs both naturally and artificially. As an example of t ...
was identified via satellite and
remote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an physical object, object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object, in contrast to in situ or on-site observation. The term is applied especially to acquiring inform ...
along the southern portion of the 7.8 rupture on the East Anatolian Fault from Antakya to Gölbaşı. Liquefaction and lateral spreading were observed at and near coastal areas, fluvial valleys and drained lake or swamp areas, covered by
Holocene
The Holocene () is the current geologic time scale, geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago. It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene to ...
sediments
Sediment is a solid material that is transported to a new location where it is deposited. It occurs naturally and, through the processes of weathering and erosion, is broken down and subsequently sediment transport, transported by the action of ...
. These effects were widespread in the
Amik Valley
The Amik Valley (; ) is a plain in Hatay Province, southern Turkey. It is close to the city of Antakya (Antioch on the Orontes River). Along with Dabiq in northwestern Syria, it is believed to be one of two possible sites of the battle of Armage ...
and
Orontes River
The Orontes (; from Ancient Greek , ) or Nahr al-ʿĀṣī, or simply Asi (, ; ) is a long river in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Hatay Province, Turk ...
plain, north of Antakya, Hatay Province. Limited observations were made in high-elevation areas due to snow cover and lack of satellite observations. Liquefaction was also observed in
Samandağ
Samandağ, formerly known as Süveydiye (), is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 384 km2, and its population is 123,447 (2022). It lies at the mouth of the Asi River on the Mediterranean coast, near Turkey's ...
. At Lake Gölbaşı, Adıyaman Province, lateral spreading occurred along the northern, eastern and southern coast. Parts of the lakeshore were also submerged. Gölbaşı was also damaged by liquefaction and lateral spreading.
Subsidence due to lateral spreading caused extensive damage in İskenderun. Liquefaction produced sand ejecta that buried Atatürk Boulevard in Çay District. Regular flooding in the city was observed after the earthquakes. Earlier flooding may be attributed to liquefaction while subsequent occurrences may be due to damage to the coast and water infrastructure. The sea inundated parts of the city by as much as . Large areas of the coast and sections of piers were flooded due to lateral spreading. Large waves from bad weather and a tsunami may have contributed to the effects observed at İskenderun.
Both earthquakes caused shaking levels (≥0.12 ''g'') sufficient for landslide-triggering across a area. About 3,673 earthquake-triggered landslides were identified using satellite imagery, aerial photos, and one field survey of the area. Landslides mainly occurred in the northern region of the affected area. Rockslides were the most commonly observed; there were also many bedrock rotational landslides, translational slides and lateral spreads. Surface ruptures propagating through hillsides also triggered landslides. These landslides blocked roads and river channels, destroyed or seriously damaged buildings and caused many deaths.
One of the largest landslides occurred near Tepehan village, Hatay Province; a translational slide which detached a block . This landslide occurred in a region comprising marl and clay-rich limestone. It produced a vertical displacement along its scarp.
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British news television channel of ITV (TV network), ITV. ITV has a long tradition of television news. ITN, Independent Television News (ITN) was founded to provide news bulletins for the netwo ...
reported the landslide scarp was up to long and "wider than a football pitch" in some areas.
Tsunami
Despite an epicenter inland, a tsunami was recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. It was the first recorded tsunami in the eastern Mediterranean Sea region since the one produced by the 1953 6.2 earthquake in Cyprus. The largest wave measured along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Although no underwater surveys results have been made available to identify the sources of these tsunamis, they were likely produced by landsliding at Iskenderun Port and liquefaction on the coastal flatlands of Antakya.
Small
tsunami
A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...
waves were recorded off the coast of
Famagusta
Famagusta, also known by several other names, is a city located on the eastern coast of Cyprus. It is located east of the capital, Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime ...
, Cyprus, without damage. The tsunami measured , and tsunami waves were recorded at at
İskenderun
İskenderun (), historically known as Alexandretta (, ) and Scanderoon, is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 247 km2, and its population is 251,682 (2022). It is on the Mediterranean coas ...
and at
Erdemli
Erdemli is a municipality and district of Mersin Province, Turkey. Its area is 2,279 km2, and its population is 151,928 (2022). It is west of the city of Mersin.
Geography
Erdemli is located between the districts of Mezitli (to the east) a ...
. Tsunami warnings were issued for the southern Turkish coast, southern and eastern Italian coasts and the whole eastern Mediterranean Sea area, but later withdrawn.
Effects on other faults
The earthquake rupture terminated near Suvatlı in the
Amik Valley
The Amik Valley (; ) is a plain in Hatay Province, southern Turkey. It is close to the city of Antakya (Antioch on the Orontes River). Along with Dabiq in northwestern Syria, it is believed to be one of two possible sites of the battle of Armage ...
, where some to its east is the Hacıpaşa Fault, a Dead Sea Transform segment. The rupture was arrested by a
stepover
The step over (also known as the ''pedalada'', the ''denílson'', or the ''scissors'', or the ''roeder shuffle'') is a dribbling move, or feint, in association football, used to fool a defensive player into thinking the offensive player, in poss ...
that connects the East Anatolian Fault with the Hacıpaşa Fault. Though it did not rupture, the Coulomb stress increased on the Hacıpaşa Fault. With a combination of the increases stress, 600–900 years without major earthquakes, and an annual slip rate of , it is a potential source of magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquakes. The accumulated slip along this segment is estimated at . An earthquake "domino effect" remains plausible along the Dead Sea Transform beginning with the Hacıpaşa Fault, as observed along the North Anatolian Fault, where successive earthquakes have migrated westwards along the fault since 1939.
Casualties and damage
In Turkey
There were 53,537 deaths and 107,213 injured across 11 of the 17 affected
provinces of Turkey
Turkey is divided into 81 provinces (). Each province is divided into a number of districts of Turkey, districts (). Each provincial government is seated in the central district (). For non-Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan munic ...
. About 140 people remain missing; 118 in Hatay Province. At least 15.73 million people and 4 million buildings were affected. More than 2 million residents in the affected provinces were evacuated to nearby provinces including
Mersin
Mersin () is a large city and port on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast of Mediterranean Region, Turkey, southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of the Mersin Province (formerly İçel). It is made up of four district governorates ...
,
Antalya
Antalya is the fifth-most populous city in Turkey and the capital of Antalya Province. Recognized as the "capital of tourism" in Turkey and a pivotal part of the Turkish Riviera, Antalya sits on Anatolia's southwest coast, flanked by the Tau ...
,
Mardin
Mardin (; ; romanized: ''Mārdīn''; ; ) is a city and seat of the Artuklu District of Mardin Province in Turkey. It is known for the Artuqids, Artuqid architecture of its old city, and for its strategic location on a rocky hill near the Tigris ...
,
Niğde
Niğde (; ; Hittite: Nahita, Naxita) is a city and is located in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is the seat of Niğde Province and Niğde District.Konya
Konya is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium. In 19th-century accounts of the city in En ...
. At least 518,009 houses and over 345,000 apartments were destroyed. More than 20 percent of Turkey's agriculture production was affected. The United Nations said crops, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and rural infrastructure were heavily damaged. At least 516 university buildings were affected, of which 106 were heavily damaged.
By 23 February 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change conducted damage inspections for 1.25 million buildings; revealing 164,000 buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged. Another inspection carried out in March revealed that 1,411,304 housing units sustained light to moderate damage. Over 150,000 commercial infrastructure were at least moderately damaged. The
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations related organization working in the field of migration. The organization implements operational assistance programmes for Human migration, migrants, including internally displa ...
estimated over 2.7 million people were made homeless. Additionally, the
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the firs ...
estimated that 658,000 workers in Turkey and 170,000 others in Syria had lost their jobs as a result of the earthquake, increasing risks of
poverty
Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...
and
child labour
Child labour is the exploitation of children through any form of work that interferes with their ability to attend regular school, or is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such exploitation is prohibited by legislation w ...
. A damage assessment by the Turkish government revealed at least 61,722 buildings had to be demolished including 11,900 in Gaziantep Province, 10,900 in Hatay Province, 10,800 in Kahramanmaraş Province and 36,046 in Malatya Province. Broad fissures appeared on roads. During recovery efforts, body parts were often found in the rubble.
In
Adana
Adana is a large city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province, Adana province, and has a population of 1 81 ...
, 12 buildings collapsed in the city center, 23 were badly damaged and 120 were moderately damaged. Three apartments were among the buildings that were destroyed in the city; the collapse of the 14-storey Alpargün Apartment in
Çukurova
Çukurova (), or the Cilician Plain (''Cilicia Pedias'' in antiquity), is a large fertile plain in the Cilicia region of southern Anatolia. The plain covers the easternmost areas of Mersin Province, southern and central Adana Province, western Os ...
resulted in 96 deaths. Across
Adana Province
Adana Province () is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey located in central Cilicia. The administrative seat of the province is the city of Adana, home to 78.25% of the r ...
, damage assessments revealed 59 buildings, 1,274 apartments and 2,952 houses were destroyed, severely damaged or required demolition.
At least 300 buildings were razed in
Malatya
Malatya (; ; Syriac language, Syriac ܡܠܝܛܝܢܐ Malīṭīná; ; Ancient Greek: Μελιτηνή) is a city in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey and the capital of Malatya Province. The city has been a human settlement for thousands of y ...
. Sixty percent of the city's buildings received damage. Nearly every neighborhood of the city was affected by collapsed buildings. Out of the 968 mosques in the city, 25 were destroyed and 420 others were damaged. Two hotels collapsed in Malatya, causing many casualties. The ceiling of Malatya Erhaç Airport experienced a partial collapse, as did the historic Yeni Camii mosque. Damage was also reported at the Arslantepe Mound. In
Akçadağ
Akçadağ () is a municipality and district of Malatya Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,118 km2, and its population is 27,872 (2022). The mayor is Ali Kazgan, and the kaymakam (district governor) is Adem Topaca.
Geography
Akçadağ is at an a ...
, 29 people died, 93 were injured, 32 buildings collapsed and 78 were seriously damaged. At least 263 deaths were reported in Doğanşehir, where roughly 6,000 of the 12,000 buildings collapsed or suffered heavy damage.
Across
Gaziantep Province
Gaziantep Province () is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality in south-central Turkey. It is located in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in ...
, 12,964 buildings, 31,522 apartments and 29,155 houses collapsed, were severely damaged or required demolition, while 486,779 other structures, including 256,748 houses, 196,199 apartments and 33,832 buildings had been damaged. Many historical sites were severely damaged, such as Gaziantep Castle,Şirvani Mosque and Liberation Mosque. The city recorded 16,211 collapses and buildings which were severely damaged or required demolition. In the city center, at least 154 people died after a four-story building collapsed; four other collapsed buildings left another 102 dead. In Nizip, at least 51 people were killed when a six-story apartment building collapsed. Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport was forced to restrict its service to rescue flights.
In
Nurdağı
Nurdağı () is a municipality and district of Gaziantep Province, Turkey. Its area is 697 km2, and its population is 41,322 (2022). Nurdağı is west of the city of Gaziantep.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck from Nurdağı on 6 Februar ...
, nearly 2,500 people died and about 50 percent of the houses were badly damaged or destroyed. An additional 30 percent of its building stock received moderate damage. Mass graves were created to bury the overwhelming number of dead. The collapse of one apartment building in the district center killed 150 people. Ninety percent of houses were heavily damaged or destroyed in Sakçagözü, and 256 people died. On 13 February, it was announced that due to the extreme damage observed in Nurdağı, that all buildings in the district would be demolished and rebuilt. In
İslahiye
İslahiye is a municipality and district of Gaziantep Province, Turkey. Its area is 865 km2, and its population is 67,650 (2022). It is a railway border crossing into Syria. Near İslahiye is the site of ancient Nicopolis.
The railway stat ...
, there were 1,368 deaths, over 1,500 injuries and more than 200 destroyed apartments. There were over 130 deaths in Sulumağara; 200 in Altınüzüm; and 300–400 in Keküklü. Six train carriages at a maintenance station overturned, after rockslides obstructed a railroad near Fevzipaşa Railway Station.
In
Hatay Province
Hatay Province (, ) is the southernmost province and metropolitan municipality of Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 1,686,043 (2022). It is situated mostly outside Anatolia, along the eastern coast of the Levantine Sea. The province ...
, 13,517 buildings collapsed, 8,162 required demolition and 67,346 were heavily damaged, along with 215,255 houses. The districts of
Antakya
Antakya (), Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is . Prior to the devastating 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, 2023 earthquakes, its population was recorded ...
,
Kırıkhan
Kırıkhan is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 715 km2, and its population is 121,028 (2022). The name ''Kırıkhan'' means "broken inn" in the Turkish language, perhaps a reference to one of the many lodgings ...
and
İskenderun
İskenderun (), historically known as Alexandretta (, ) and Scanderoon, is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 247 km2, and its population is 251,682 (2022). It is on the Mediterranean coas ...
were the most affected. In Antakya, 70 percent of homes and 6,369 buildings collapsed, 3,734 had to be demolished and 21,830 were badly damaged. The runway at
Hatay Airport
Hatay Airport () is an international airport in Hatay Province, Turkey, serving the cities of Antakya
Antakya (), Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is ...
was split and uplifted, causing flight cancellations. The
Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
Metropolitan Municipality completed repairs on the airport on 12 February, allowing its reopening. Two provincial hospitals and a police station were destroyed, and a
gas pipeline
A pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countries around the world. The Un ...
exploded. The
building
A building or edifice is an enclosed Structure#Load-bearing, structure with a roof, walls and window, windows, usually standing permanently in one place, such as a house or factory. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, a ...
that housed the assembly of
Hatay State
Hatay State (; ; ), also known informally as the Republic of Hatay (), was a transitional nation that existed from 2 September 1938 to 29 June 1939, being located in the territory of the Sanjak of Alexandretta of the French Mandate of Syria. The ...
was destroyed, as was St. Paul's Church and the Habib'i Neccar Mosque, while damage occurred at the Antakya Synagogue and the Hatay Archaeology Museum. Several dozen buildings in Güzelburç district and nearly every house in the central and Cebrail districts collapsed. Most of the squad and coaching staff of the local football club
Hatayspor
Hatayspor Kulübü, known as Atakaş Hatayspor due to sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional football club located in Antakya, Hatay Province. Hatayspor, founded in 1967 through a merger of three local clubs, aimed to promote sports and po ...
were initially trapped in the collapse of their headquarters in Antakya before being rescued, with player Christian Atsu and sporting director Taner Savut dying. At least 982 buildings were destroyed, 8,894 others were badly damaged and 943 had to be demolished in
Defne
Defne is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 155 km2, and its population is 165,494 (2022). The district Defne was created in 2013 from parts of the former central district of Hatay and the district of Samanda� ...
. In
Reyhanlı
Reyhanlı (; , ''ar-Rayḥānīyah'') is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 367 km2, and its population is 108,092 (2022). It is near the country's Syria–Turkey border, border with Syria ...
, 318 buildings collapsed and 1,661 others were severely damaged or required demolition. In Kumlu, 131 buildings were destroyed, 738 others were severely damaged and 84 others required demolition. At least 58 buildings collapsed and 669 others were badly damaged or had to be demolished in Payas.
The collapse of the luxury Rönesans Rezidans apartment trapped an estimated 800 people, killing at least 269 and leaving 46 missing as presumed dead. In May 2023, an investigation by ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' found that inadequate design and safety lapses may have contributed to its collapse. An engineer revealed to the newspaper; "the building violated the basic tenets of engineering," after inspecting its blueprints. Contractors of the building said they adhered to building regulations but those were not enough against the earthquake.
The 13-storey apartment block consists of three closely spaced buildings linked externally, but not structurally; when the collapse occurred, all three buildings separated. The basement, two-storey parking space was considered the "strongest part" of the complex as it had more concrete walls than other parts of the structure. The building's exterior walls and those that separated units and rooms consisted of heavy masonry which may have prevented the structure from swaying and possibly held the building mostly intact despite toppling. The building was considered a soft story structure as the ground floor had fewer masonry walls which meant it was at greater risk of damage from seismic ground motion. Among other factors were that the core concrete columns which housed the elevator systems were situated along the north side which left the south side vulnerable without adequate support. Another reason was that beams emerging from either side of the building were misaligned and did not connect to each other. These features may have contributed to the building overturning onto its south side.
In
İskenderun
İskenderun (), historically known as Alexandretta (, ) and Scanderoon, is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 247 km2, and its population is 251,682 (2022). It is on the Mediterranean coas ...
, Hatay Province, a large fire at the port was reported on 6 February at 17:00, believed to have originated from a container carrying flammable industrial oil, forcing the port's closure and the diversion of many ships. It was extinguished on 6 and 8 February, only for it to reignite the next day each time. It was finally extinguished on 10 February. A total of 3,670 containers were destroyed by the fire and the port managing authority said it would take three months for operations to resume. The city saw 534 buildings collapse, 337 requiring demolition and 4,622 receiving severe damage. Flooding occurred along the city shoreline, inundating streets up to inland. The Cathedral of the Annunciation, seat of the Roman Catholic
Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia
The Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia (, ) is a Roman Catholic Latin apostolic vicariate in the eastern half of Anatolia (Asian Turkey).
The missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction is not part of any ecclesiastical province. It is under the directi ...
, was almost completely destroyed. At least 3,109 people died in the city and over 12,000 were injured.
In
Samandağ
Samandağ, formerly known as Süveydiye (), is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 384 km2, and its population is 123,447 (2022). It lies at the mouth of the Asi River on the Mediterranean coast, near Turkey's ...
, 670 buildings collapsed, 9,212 were badly damaged or required demolition and 7,850 people died. In
Kırıkhan District
Kırıkhan is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 715 km2, and its population is 121,028 (2022). The name ''Kırıkhan'' means "broken inn" in the Turkish language, perhaps a reference to one of the many lodgings ...
, 1,886 buildings collapsed and 7,190 others were severely damaged or required demolition; the district recorded approximately 3,000 fatalities, 5,000 injuries and many more missing. In the village of Bektashli, 49 people died after their homes collapsed due to severe rockfalls. A section of the Kırıkhan-Reyhanlı highway near Akpınar was severely damaged and buckled. In Erzin District, 31 buildings collapsed and 897 were heavily damaged or had to be demolished. However, there were no collapses or major damage in Erzin, the largest town in the district. Multiple factors including strict building codes prevented destruction. An estimated 20,000 people fled to Erzin, increasing its population by about 50 percent. At least 700 people died, 187 buildings collapsed, 2,176 others were badly damaged and 194 others had to be demolished in
Arsuz
Arsuz (; ) is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 462 km2, and its population is 101,233 (2022). It covers the southwestern part of the agglomeration of İskenderun and the adjacent countryside and coast. In anc ...
. However, like in Erzin, numerous people fled to the district, resulting in the district's population tripling by June 2023. At least 1,046 buildings collapsed and 3,452 others were severely damaged or had to be demolished in Hassa District, where 400 people were killed. In
Altınözü
Altınözü (, ''el-Kusayr'') is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 392 km2, and its population is 60,344 (2022). It is in the south-east of Hatay Province, on the border between Turkey and Syria. The mayor is R ...
, 838 buildings were destroyed, 3,892 others were badly damaged and 650 others required demolition. There were 213 collapsed buildings and 1,453 others had been severely damaged or had to be demolished in
Yayladağı
Yayladağı (), formerly Ordu (; ), is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 445 km2, and its population is 36,803 (2022). It is on the border with Syria, south of the city of Antakya.
Yayla ...
. At least 139 buildings collapsed, 755 others were badly damaged and 87 others had to be demolished in Belen. In
Dörtyol
Dörtyol is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 342 km2, and its population is 128,941 (2022). It is a port city and oil terminus located 26 km north of the city of İskenderun, near the easternmost point of th ...
, 115 buildings were destroyed and 2,030 others had to be demolished or were severely damaged.
Mass burials occurred in
Kahramanmaraş
Kahramanmaraş (), historically Marash (; ) and Germanicea (), is a city in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean region of Turkey and the administrative centre of Kahramanmaraş Province, Kahramanmaraş province. After 1973, Maraş was ...
for more than 5,000 bodies. A city official said the mass grave would eventually be the burial ground for 10,000 bodies. Around 75 percent of the city's buildings were damaged or destroyed. In Türkoğlu, 1,171 buildings collapsed and 4,500 others required demolition. At least 413 people were killed, 379 were injured and 872 buildings collapsed in
Pazarcık
Pazarcık () is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,253 km2, and its population is 70,173 (2022). It is in the southeastern part of the province. The cement plant is a major source of greenhouse ga ...
District. At Ordekdede, a village in the district, 34 people died and almost all single-story buildings were decimated, with none of the village's 140 houses structurally stable.
In
Elbistan
Elbistan (;Aksüt, Ali"''On the Alevism of Elbistan, Nurhak, Ekinozu and Afsin - Elbistan Nurhak Ekinözü Afşin Aleviliği Üzerine - Zum Alevitentum in Elbistan, Nurhak, Ekinözü und Afşin''"- Alevilik-Bektaşilik Araştırmaları Dergisi 201 ...
, 1,038 people died, 3,000 were injured and 2,000 buildings were destroyed. At least 11 people died, 107 houses were destroyed and 70 percent of the building stock were damaged in
Ekinözü
Ekinözü is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 656 km2, and its population is 10,290 (2022).
The town was north of the epicenter of a 7.5 earthquake on 6 February 2023—the latter of two large ea ...
. In
Afşin
Afşin is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,502 km2, and its population is 80,044 (2022). It is the location of the ancient town Arabissus.
Afşin-Elbistan power stations
Two coal fired power ...
, at least 180 people died. At least 335 buildings including 90 in the city center were destroyed. The Afşin-Elbistan Thermal Power Plant was also damaged. In Ericek, a village in
Göksun
Göksun (, or , ''Koukousós''; or ; ) is a municipality and district of Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,942 km2, and its population is 50,676 (2022). It is near one of the sources of the Ceyhan River (ancient Pyramos), in the ...
, 95 percent of homes were affected and 152 died. In Nurhak, there were around 200 deaths and all houses were severely damaged.
In
Adıyaman Province
Adıyaman Province (, ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The capital is Adıyaman. Its area is 7,337 km2, and its population is 635,169 (2022). The province is considered part of Turkish Kurdi ...
, over 20,000 buildings and 56,256 houses were destroyed. In the city of
Adıyaman
Adıyaman () is a city in southeastern Turkey. It is the administrative centre of Adıyaman Province and Adıyaman District. Its population is 267,131 (2021). The inhabitants of the city are mostly Turkish and Kurdish.
The city was one of the ...
, four neighborhoods were razed. Many buildings along Atatürk Boulevard collapsed. The city hall, a 6th-century mosque and Gölbaşı District's state hospital were also destroyed.Isias Hotel, the largest hotel in the city, also collapsed, killing 65 people. Up to 10 percent of Adıyaman's population perished. The mayor of Kömür said the Karapınar and Bahçelievler neighborhoods were nearly destroyed. In the nearby village of Yaylakonak, 270 of the 280 homes were destroyed and 107 people died, including 32 children.
Destruction also occurred in Barbaros, Sümerevler and
Karapınar
Karapınar, formerly known as Barta is a municipality and district of Konya Province, Turkey. Its area is 2,623 km2, and its population is 50,323 (2022). Volcanic Karapınar Field is located nearby.
Composition
There are 42 neighbourhoods i ...
districts. In Harmanlı, Gölbaşı, 80–90 percent of it was destroyed. The second earthquake destroyed three buildings in the province. In Gölbaşı, 71 percent of the town's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed and 695 people were killed with over 400 injured, including 286 deaths in the town center. There were also 410 deaths in
Besni District
Besni District is a district of Adıyaman Province of Turkey. Its seat is the town Besni.İlç ...
, about 90 percent of them in the town itself. At least 103 people were killed and dozens more were injured in
Çelikhan District
Çelikhan District is a district of Adıyaman Province of Turkey. Its seat is the town Çelikhan.Pınarbaşı, Çelikhan
Pınarbaşı () is a town (''belde'') and municipality in the Çelikhan District, Adıyaman Province, Turkey. In Kurucuova village, 100 deaths and 10 missing were recorded while in Kâhta, 55 people died.
In Diyarbakir Province, 8,602 houses were severely damaged or destroyed, and 124,432 others were partially damaged. Additionally, 8,086 buildings were damaged, required demolition or collapsed.
Diyarbakır Fortress
Diyarbakır is the largest Kurds, Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province.
Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortress, it ...
, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, was also partly destroyed. The adjacent World Heritage Site of Hevsel Gardens and St. George's Church were also damaged. Part of the Galeria complex in Yenişehir, which included a shopping mall and dozens of apartments collapsed, killing 89 and injuring 22.
At least 466 buildings were heavily damaged in
Şanlıurfa Province
Şanlıurfa Province (; ), also known as Urfa Province, is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality in southeastern Turkey. The city of Şanlıurfa is the capital of the province which be ...
; 201 were destroyed. Structures around the Pool of Abraham were damaged. The minaret at the religious shrine partially collapsed, sending rubble into the pools below and discoloring the water, which was also contaminated by seeping sewage. In Eyyübiye District, the minaret of the Eyüp Prophet Mosque was damaged and removed. Thirty-three people were killed in the collapse of the Osman Ağan Apartment.
In
Osmaniye Province
Osmaniye Province () is a province in south-central Turkey. It was named Cebel-i Bereket () in the early republic until 1933, when it was incorporated into Adana Province. It was made a province again in 1996. Its area is 3,320 km2, and its p ...
, of the 22,841 buildings surveyed, 2,531 were heavily damaged, destroyed or required demolition. Additionally, 16,111 houses collapsed or were badly damaged. Nearly half of the affected buildings were included in
Osmaniye
Osmaniye () is a city on the eastern edge of the Çukurova plain in southern Turkey. It is the seat of Osmaniye Province and Osmaniye District. where 1,088 of the 13,667 buildings examined in Merkez District were destroyed, seriously damaged or needed to be demolished. In Düziçi, 192 buildings were destroyed or required demolition, with the collapse of a single building killing 41 people, including 29 Syrians. Many additional buildings were also destroyed or needed to be demolished in the province, including 174 in
Bahçe Bahçe (literally "garden") is a Turkish place name that may refer to the following places in Turkey:
* Bahçe, Bismil
* Bahçe, Horasan
* Bahçe, Osmaniye, a rural district and town of Osmaniye Province
* Bahçe, Karataş, a village in the dis ...
, 111 in
Kadirli
Kadirli, historically Kars () or Karsbazar (), is a city in Osmaniye Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. It is the seat of Kadirli District.
Sumbas
Sumbas is a town in Osmaniye Province in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean region of Turkey. It is the seat of Sumbas District.
.
In
Kilis Province
Kilis Province () is a province in southern Turkey, on the border with Syria. Its area is 1,412 km2, and its population is 147,919 (2022). The province was created in 1995 from the southern part of Gaziantep Province. The city of Kilis is ho ...
, 448 buildings were destroyed and 138 others were heavily damaged, along with 2,514 houses.Karamelik was the worst-affected area, with virtually the entire village being razed to the ground and cars being buried beneath collapsed houses. Damage assessments in
Elazığ Province
Elazığ () is a city in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, and the administrative centre of Elazığ Province and Elazığ District. Founded in and around the former city of Harput, it is located in the uppermost Euph ...
showed that 10,156 households and 664 buildings collapsed or were severely damaged, with minor-to-moderate damage being recorded in 32,673 homes; One of the damaged buildings collapsed in the second earthquake. Compared to neighboring provinces, damage and casualties were much less severe as most of the buildings in Elazığ received updated guidelines after the
2020 Elazığ earthquake
The 2020 Elazığ earthquake occurred at 20:55 local time (17:55 UTC) on 24 January in Turkey. The magnitude of the earthquake was determined to be 6.7 . The earthquake's epicentre was close to the town of Sivrice in Elazığ Province and fe ...
.
In
Batman Province
Batman Province (, ; ) is a province in Turkey. It was created in May 1990 with the Law No. 3647 taking some parts from the eastern Province of Siirt and some from the southern Province of Mardin. Its area is 4,477 km2, and its population i ...
, 218 buildings were damaged and 15 more collapsed. In Mardin Province, 59 buildings were heavily damaged and another 190 were slightly damaged and a death related to a heart attack occurred in Kızıltepe District. In
Bingöl Province
Bingöl Province (; ; ; ) is a province of Turkey. The province was known as Çapakçur Province () before 1945 when it was renamed as Bingöl Province. Its area is 8,003 km2, and its population is 282,556 (2022). The province encompasses 11 ...
, several houses cracked and some livestock were killed by collapsing barns. In
Samsun
Samsun is a List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, city on the north coast of Turkey and a major Black Sea port. The urban area recorded a population of 738,692 in 2022. The city is the capital of Samsun Province which has a population of ...
Kayseri Province
The Kayseri Province () is a province and metropolitan municipality in central Turkey. Its area is 16,970 km2, and its population is 1,441,523 (2022). It borders with Sivas, Adana, Niğde, Kahramanmaraş, Yozgat and Nevşehir provinces.
T ...
, eight buildings collapsed, while 5,252 others were damaged to some extent. Several houses were damaged and a barn collapsed in
Muş Province
Muş Province (; ; ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province in the east Anatolia region of Turkey (Türkiye). Its area is 8,718 km2, and its population is 399,202 (2022), down from 453,654 in 2000. The provincial capital is the city of Muş. Ano ...
. In
Sivas Province
Sivas Province () is a province of Turkey. It is located in the eastern part of the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. Its area is 28,164 km2 (the second largest province after Konya), and its population is 634,924 (2022). Its adjacent prov ...
, the second earthquake destroyed a few houses. In
Giresun Province
Giresun Province (Greek language, Greek : Κερασούντα, ; ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast. Its adjacent provinces are Trabzon Province, Trabzon to the east, Gümüşhane Province, Gümüşhane to the ...
, a five-story building was damaged and evacuated.
The dead included member of the
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
The Grand National Assembly of Turkey ( ), usually referred to simply as the GNAT or TBMM, also referred to as , in Turkish, is the Unicameralism, unicameral Turkey, Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by ...
for Adıyaman
Yakup Taş
Yakup Taş (16 June 1959 – 7 February 2023) was a Turkish politician from the Justice and Development Party who was a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from 2018 until his death. He represented the electorate of Adıyaman.
Ta ...
,
Yeni Malatyaspor
Yeni Malatyaspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in Malatya. The club plays in the TFF First League, which is the second tier of football in the country.
History
Founded in 1986 as Malatya Belediyespor. Its primary colo ...
goalkeeper Ahmet Eyüp Türkaslan, former Turkish national handball team player Cemal Kütahya and his five-year-old son, and Saul Cenudioğlu, leader of the Jewish community in Antakya, who died along with his wife. Former MP for Kahramanmaraş Sıtkı Güvenç died from earthquake injuries on 9 February. Three Turkish soldiers died during rescue operations. Twenty-six local journalists, four doctors, 120 police officers and 32
gendarmerie
A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (). In France and so ...
s were among the dead.
In Syria
According to Turkish-backed officials on 2 February 2024, 4,537 people died in rebel-held areas while 1,414 died in government-controlled areas. The International Blue Crescent placed the death toll in Syria at 8,476. The Syrian Ministry of Health said over 2,248 died, most were in
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
and
Latakia
Latakia (; ; Syrian Arabic, Syrian pronunciation: ) is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate located on the Mediterranean coast. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mar ...
. In rebel-held areas, at least 4,547 people died. In a report by the
International Medical Corps
International Medical Corps is a global, nonprofit, humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical services, healthcare training and capacity building to those affected by disaster, disease or conflict. It seeks to strengthen med ...
dated 8 March 2023, 7,259 people were confirmed dead.
Over 14,500 were also injured in Syria. Among the dead included 2,153 children and 1,524 women. The
Syrian Network for Human Rights
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR, ) is a UK-based independent monitoring group,Chotiner, Isaac (May 13, 2019)"A Times Reporter Documents the Horror of Syria’s Torture Sites" ''The New Yorker''. which monitors casualties and briefs var ...
stated 73 medics, five media personnel, 62 workers in humanitarian agencies, and four civil defense personnel were among the dead. The
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (also known as SOHR; ), founded in May 2006, is a United Kingdom-based information office whose stated aim is to document human rights abuses in Syria; since 2011 it has focused on the Syrian Civil War. ...
said additional dead were buried before being registered and some victims died in hospitals. Syria's National Earthquake Centre said the earthquake is "the biggest earthquake recorded" in its operational history.
An estimated 5.37 million people across Syria may have been made homeless, while 10.9 million people, nearly half of Syria's population, were affected. More than 123 residential areas, villages, towns and cities were badly damaged. Many power plants, water facilities, hospitals and public infrastructure also sustained damage. At least 453 schools were damaged. Across the country, 22,452 housing units were destroyed and 62,878 others were damaged.
Hundreds were killed in the town of
Atarib
Atarib (), also known as Atharib or Athareb, is a town in western Aleppo countryside, Aleppo Governorate, Syria. Located west of the city of Aleppo and southeast of Reyhanlı in Turkish-administered Hatay Province, it is the regional center of ...
. In
Jindires
Jindires (; or ) is a town in northern Syria in the Afrin District of the Aleppo Governorate. It is located on the Afrin River, northwest by road from Aleppo and southwest of Afrin, Syria, Afrin. Nearby localities include Deir Ballut and Bayadah ...
, over 1,100 people were killed and at least 250 buildings were razed; among the deaths were a family of seven—the only survivor was a newborn. In
Jableh
Jableh (; ', also spelt ''Jebleh'', ''Jabala'', ''Jablah, Gabala'' or ''Gibellum'') is a Mediterranean coastal city in Syria, north of Baniyas and south of Latakia, with c. 80,000 inhabitants (2004 census). As Ancient ''Gabala'', it was a By ...
, at least 283 people died, 173 were injured and 19 buildings collapsed. Four bodies were recovered and 15 bodies were in the process of recovery during debris clearance on 10 February. On 11 February, six bodies were retrieved from the rubble of a collapsed house along al-Maliyeh Street. Civilians were stuck under the rubble for hours due to the lack of rescue teams in several villages such as Atarib, Besnaya, Jindires, Maland, Salqin and Sarmada. In
Latakia Governorate
Latakia Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat al-Lādhiqīyah''), also transliterated as Ladhakia, is one of the 14 Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay Province to the no ...
, 142,000 people were affected; at least 805 people died and 1,131 others were injured. The region's governor said 105 buildings were destroyed, 247 were at risk of collapse and 900 others were severely damaged. At Latakia University, ten students, three employees and a professor died. At least 48 people were killed in
Hama
Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
, of which 43 were from the collapse of an eight-story building.
Cracks appeared in the
Afrin Dam
The Afrin Dam (), officially 17 April Dam (), also called Maydanki Dam (), is an earth-filled water storage and hydroelectric power dam on the Afrin River in northwest Syria. It provides drinking water to almost 200,000 people, irrigates about o ...
, and on 9 February, the it burst, flooding the village of Al-Tloul, which was exacerbated by heavy rains along the
Afrin River
The Afrin River ( ''Nahr ʻIfrīn''; ; northern Syrian vernacular: ''Nahər ʻAfrīn''; ) is a tributary of the Orontes River in Turkey and Syria. It rises in the Kartal Mountains in Gaziantep Province of Turkey, flows south through the city of ...
basin. Nearly all its residents fled; about 500 families were displaced. In
Atarib
Atarib (), also known as Atharib or Athareb, is a town in western Aleppo countryside, Aleppo Governorate, Syria. Located west of the city of Aleppo and southeast of Reyhanlı in Turkish-administered Hatay Province, it is the regional center of ...
, 148 bodies arrived at an underground hospital. A doctor at the hospital said some bodies were missing their head or limbs. Various archaeological sites in
Tartus Governorate
Tartus Governorate, also transliterated as Tartous Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ṭarṭūs''), is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in western Syria, bordering Latakia Governorate to the north, Homs and Hama Governo ...
were damaged, including the
Khawabi
Khawabi (), also spelled Qal'at al-Khawabi () is a village and medieval citadel in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Tartus Governorate, located 20 kilometers northeast of Tartus and 12 kilometers east of al-Sawda. According to the ...
Castle and Aleika Castle. Damage to historical towers and infrastructure were also reported in
Tartus
Tartus ( / ALA-LC: ''Ṭarṭūs''; known in the County of Tripoli as Tortosa and also transliterated from French language, French Tartous) is a major port city on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. It is the second largest port city in Syria (af ...
and
Safita
Safita ( '; , ''Sōpūte'') is a city in the Tartus Governorate, western Syria, located to the southeast of Tartus and to the northwest of Krak des Chevaliers. It is situated on the tops of three hills and the valleys between them, in the Syrian ...
Idlib Governorate
Idlib Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Idlib'') is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay province to the north, Aleppo Governorate to the east, Hama Governorate to the sou ...
, one hospital received 30 bodies. In the village of Azmarin, Idlib Governorate, at least 260 people died, 300 were injured, and 100 were rescued. Fifteen buildings in the village were leveled and about 50 percent of its housing stock had cracks. Footballer Nader Joukhadar, who played for the
Syria national football team
The Syria national football team () represents Syria in international Association football, football, and is controlled by the Syrian Arab Federation for Football, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria has never qualified for the FIFA ...
, died alongside his son when their home collapsed in Jableh.
According to the
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization. Founded in 1933 as the International Relief Association, at the request of Albert Einstein, and changing its name in 1 ...
, the earthquake struck when rebel-held areas were preparing for a blizzard and experiencing a
cholera
Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
outbreak. In Aleppo, dozens of buildings collapsed and at least 444 people died, including 163 children. By 8 February, the bodies of 210 victims were returned to their families. The
Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums
The Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums (DGAM); , ) is a Syrian government-owned agency that is responsible for the protection, promotion and excavation activities in all sites of national heritage in the country. The Directorate was e ...
said various archeological sites across the city were extensively cracked or collapsed. Cracks were also reported in the outer façade of the Aleppo National Museum. In Atarib, Aleppo, the Syrian American Medical Society hospital said 120 bodies were recovered. About 20,000 homes were affected in Aleppo, leaving 70,000 homeless. Total damage in the city exceeded US$403 million. In Rajo, the doors and walls of a prison facility cracked. Twenty prisoners, believed to be
Islamic State
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
(ISIS) members, escaped the facility.
In
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, many people fled from their homes onto the streets. In the northern parts of the city, many buildings were cracked. Many buildings in Syria had already been damaged by an almost 12-year-long civil war. The
Crusader
Crusader or Crusaders may refer to:
Military
* Crusader, a participant in one of the Crusades
* Convair NB-36H Crusader, an experimental nuclear-powered bomber
* Crusader tank, a British cruiser tank of World War II
* Crusaders (guerrilla), a C ...
-built castle
Margat
Margat, also known as Marqab (), is a castle near Baniyas, Syria, which was a Crusader fortress and one of the major strongholds of the Knights Hospitaller. It is located around from the Mediterranean coast and approximately south of Baniyas. ...
suffered damage, with part of a tower and parts of some walls collapsing. Cracks also opened up in the walls of the
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers (; , ; or , ; from , ) is a medieval castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by Kurds, Kurdish troops garrisoned there by ...
castle. The
Citadel of Aleppo
The Citadel of Aleppo () is a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city of Aleppo, northern Syria. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at leas ...
was also affected. In addition, one of the towers of Sahyun Castle near Latakia was destroyed. The minaret of the Grand Mosque in
Kobanî
Kobani, also Kobane, officially Ayn al-Arab, is a Kurdish-majority city in the Ayn al-Arab District in northern Syria, lying immediately south of the Syria–Turkey border. As a consequence of the Syrian civil war, the city came under the co ...
was also damaged.
Foreign casualties
At least 6,600 Syrians residing in Turkey were killed. According to Turkey's Presidency of Migration Management 1.75 million Syrians live in southern Turkey; 460,150 in Gaziantep; 354,000 in Antakya; 368,000 in Şanlıurfa; 250,000 in Adana. Turkey's health ministry returned the bodies of 1,793 Syrian victims to their relatives in Syria, while thousands of Syrians were buried in Turkey due to difficulties transporting them to Syria. At least 11 Iraqi
war
War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...
refugees died in Turkey.
At least 100 Afghans were killed by the earthquake in Turkey, mostly refugees who fled the country after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Among the Lebanese fatalities was an entire family of three in Malatya. Ten Azerbaijanis were killed in Turkey, including four students in Malatya. An Italian family of six, and an entrepreneur also perished. Nineteen students, two teachers and a parent from
Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a ''de facto'' state that comprises the northeastern portion of the Geography of Cyprus, island of Cyprus. It is List of states with limited recognition, recognis ...
died when the Isias Hotel in Adıyaman collapsed. Seven other Turkish Cypriots died in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş.
Effects in other countries
In
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
, residents were awakened from their sleep. Buildings in the country shook for up to 40 seconds. In
Beirut
Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
, residents fled their homes and stayed in streets or drove in their vehicles to flee from buildings. The earthquake damaged 16,200 buildings across the country, including 10,460 in
Beirut
Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
and 4,000 in
Tripoli
Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to:
Places Greece
*Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...
.
In
Ashdod
Ashdod (, ; , , or ; Philistine language, Philistine: , romanized: *''ʾašdūd'') is the List of Israeli cities, sixth-largest city in Israel. Located in the country's Southern District (Israel), Southern District, it lies on the Mediterranean ...
, Israel, a building was evacuated after cracks were observed in a pillar, and Champion Motors Tower in
Bnei Brak
Bnei Brak ( ) or Bene Beraq, is a city located on the central Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Israeli coastal plain, coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an area of 709 hectares (1,752 acre ...
was slightly damaged by the second earthquake. In
Nicosia
Nicosia, also known as Lefkosia and Lefkoşa, is the capital and largest city of Cyprus. It is the southeasternmost of all EU member states' capital cities.
Nicosia has been continuously inhabited for over 5,500 years and has been the capi ...
, Cyprus, some windows cracked, and the wall of a house collapsed, damaging two nearby vehicles. Six
Cuvier's beaked whale
Cuvier's beaked whale, goose-beaked whale, or ziphius (''Ziphius cavirostris'') is the most widely distributed of all beaked whales in the family Beaked whale, Ziphiidae. It is smaller than most baleen whales—and indeed the larger Toothed whal ...
s were found dead along the island's northern coast on 10 February. The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research said there was a possible link between the beaching and earthquake as these whales' echolocation system are affected by sea disturbances.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said shaking was felt in
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
,
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
,
Palestine
Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
,
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
,
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
,
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
,
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, and
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. In Iraq, minor damage occurred in some houses and buildings in
Erbil
Erbil (, ; , ), also called Hawler (, ), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The city is the capital of the Erbil Governorate.
Human settlement at Erbil may be dated back to the 5th millennium BC. At the h ...
, and the city's citadel was severely damaged. In Egypt, tremors were strongly felt in the capital
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, and is considered the strongest earthquake felt since 1975. A crack appeared in the
Corniche
A corniche is a road on the side of a cliff or mountain, with the ground rising up on one side of the roadway and falling away on the other. The English language has adopted the word from the French term ' or "road on a ledge", itself derive ...
in
Alexandria
Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
.
Aftershocks
On 20 February, a 6.3 aftershock struck near
Antakya
Antakya (), Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is . Prior to the devastating 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, 2023 earthquakes, its population was recorded ...
, causing additional buildings to collapse in
Samandağ
Samandağ, formerly known as Süveydiye (), is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 384 km2, and its population is 123,447 (2022). It lies at the mouth of the Asi River on the Mediterranean coast, near Turkey's ...
and further damage in
Antakya
Antakya (), Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is . Prior to the devastating 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, 2023 earthquakes, its population was recorded ...
. Six people died in Antakya,
Defne
Defne is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 155 km2, and its population is 165,494 (2022). The district Defne was created in 2013 from parts of the former central district of Hatay and the district of Samanda� ...
and
Samandağ
Samandağ, formerly known as Süveydiye (), is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 384 km2, and its population is 123,447 (2022). It lies at the mouth of the Asi River on the Mediterranean coast, near Turkey's ...
. At least 562 were injured including 18 in serious condition who received immediate medical attention before being taken to Adana and
Dörtyol
Dörtyol is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 342 km2, and its population is 128,941 (2022). It is a port city and oil terminus located 26 km north of the city of İskenderun, near the easternmost point of th ...
. AFAD warned residents to stay away from the coast as there was potential for a tsunami of up to . The mayor of Hatay said several people were trapped under debris. A bridge was damaged and an empty three-story building in
İskenderun
İskenderun (), historically known as Alexandretta (, ) and Scanderoon, is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Hatay Province, Turkey. Its area is 247 km2, and its population is 251,682 (2022). It is on the Mediterranean coas ...
collapsed. In Syria, five people died during stampedes and panic across several governates and at least 500 people were injured. The White Helmets said people in
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
and
Idlib
Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey.
History
...
were injured by collapsed buildings. Some residents in Jinderis were injured after leaping off buildings. In northwestern Syria, damaged and abandoned buildings collapsed without casualties. Shaking was felt in Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.
A 5.2 aftershock occurred on 27 February, near Yeşilyurt. It collapsed about 30 buildings in the town. Two people died and 140 others were injured; 12 in serious condition. One fatality and four injuries were attributed to a factory collapse in Kahramanmaraş Province.
On 25 July, a damaging 5.5 aftershock struck Kozan, Adana Province. The shock left 63 people injured in Adana and
Osmaniye
Osmaniye () is a city on the eastern edge of the Çukurova plain in southern Turkey. It is the seat of Osmaniye Province and Osmaniye District. A house in
Sumbas
Sumbas is a town in Osmaniye Province in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean region of Turkey. It is the seat of Sumbas District.
was also damaged by rockfalls. Another aftershock struck Malatya Province on 10 August, measuring 5.3. Twenty-three people were injured; 22 in Malatya and one in Adıyaman. One building collapsed and two were damaged in Malatya.
A 6.0 earthquake struck
Kale District
Kale District (also called Kalemyo District) is the westernmost district in Sagaing Division of Myanmar (Burma). Townships
Its administrative center is the city of Kalay (Kalaymyo). The district consists of three townships;
* Kale Township ...
, Malatya Province on 16 October 2024, causing 254 injuries across seven provinces, with Elazığ Province alone recording 116 injuries.
Search and rescue
Turkey was placed on a "level four" alert to request international aid. More than 53,000 Turkish search and rescue personnel were dispatched to the affected provinces. Seventy countries also assisted in these operations. In the first two days, more than 8,000 people were rescued and 380,000 people were relocated to shelters or hotels. An " air aid corridor" was established by the
Turkish Armed Forces
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; , TSK) are the armed forces, military forces of the Turkey, Republic of Turkey. The TAF consist of the Turkish Army, Land Forces, the Turkish Navy, Naval Forces and the Turkish Air Force, Air Forces. The Chief of ...
to mobilize search and rescue teams. Poor weather conditions and damaged roads hampered rescue and relief missions. By 19 February, most rescue efforts had concluded except in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş provinces.
Syria made an appeal to UN member states, the
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...
, and other humanitarian organizations for international aid. President
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
ordered all teams of the civil defense, firefighting, health and public construction groups to be mobilized in the affected governates. He also added that medical services, food and shelter were urgently needed. The Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection was ordered by President al-Assad to supply food and organize teams to distribute them. Technical teams were also on site to evaluate building conditions and evacuate residents in at-risk structures. The Ministry of Water Resources was tasked with rapidly assessing damage to dams, reservoirs and water stations, and ensuring people have access to water. Some hotels including in Latakia and Damascus offered to accommodate to survivors free of charge and ensure basic necessities. Refugees and expatriates also opened their homes as shelters for people. Sports facilities, events venues, university dormitories and halls were also opened to take in people. The Syria Trust for Development announced the establishment of shelters across many governorates. Volunteer groups inspected buildings for damage and distributed food items, blankets and first aid essentials. Many hospitals were overwhelmed by the large number of casualties and prior to the earthquakes, were already experiencing supply shortages.
International humanitarian efforts
Countries
At least 105 countries pledged support for victims of the earthquake, including humanitarian aid. More than eleven countries provided teams with
search and rescue dog
A search-and-rescue (SAR) dog is a dog trained to respond to crime scenes, accidents, missing persons events, as well as Natural disaster, natural or Disaster, man-made disasters. These dogs detect human scent, which is a distinct odor of skin f ...
s to locate victims under the debris and monetary support was offered as well. However, outreach to Syria was "less enthusiastic" than that to Turkey, mostly because of the
international sanctions
International sanctions are political and economic decisions that are part of diplomatic efforts by countries, multilateral or regional organizations against states or organizations either to protect national security interests, or to protect i ...
on the country and because of government limitations imposed on humanitarian organizations from operating outside areas of their control.
Handling of aid in Syria
Investigative reports revealed that the Syrian government had deliberately obstructed aid to all of Syria's opposition-held areas, including the
Idlib
Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey.
History
...
region, which was the worst-struck area in the earthquake. Syrian government officials and state-run media blamed United States and European Union sanctions against the country for the lack of humanitarian aid and hampering rescue. On 10 February, Syrian president
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
accused Western countries of having "no regard for the human condition." The
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the Treasury, national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States. It is one of 15 current United States federal executive departments, U.S. government departments.
...
said its sanctions had already made "robust exemptions for humanitarian efforts", and that after the earthquake it issued a blanket authorization for relief efforts. The
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
has also been criticized for its policy of focusing aid shipments solely towards the regime, at the expense of Syrian lives in opposition-held territories.
Idlib Governorate
Idlib Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Idlib'') is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay province to the north, Aleppo Governorate to the east, Hama Governorate to the sou ...
, under the control of the
Syrian Salvation Government
The Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) was a '' de facto'' unrecognized quasi-state in Syria formed on 2 November 2017 by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other opposition groups during the Syrian civil war. It controlled much of northwest S ...
(SSG), was one of the hardest-hit territories. The
Assad regime
Ba'athist Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), was the Syrian state between 1963 and 2024 under the one-party rule of the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. From 1971 until its collapse in 2024, it was rule ...
's policy of besieging northwestern Syria, blockading the supply of food, medicines and other humanitarian supplies, has further deteriorated the crisis in Idlib.
Ahmed al-Sharaa
Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa (born 29 October 1982) also known by his ''nom de guerre'' Abu Mohammad al-Julani, is a Syrian politician and former rebel commander serving as the president of Syria since January 2025. He previously served as the coun ...
, commander of the SSG-aligned
Tahrir al-Sham
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was a Sunni Islamist political organisation and paramilitary group involved in the Syrian civil war. It was formed on 28January 2017 as a merger between several armed groups: Jaysh al-Ahrar (an Ahrar al-Sham facti ...
rebel militia, criticized aid agencies of neglecting the situation in Idlib and called on the international community to be more proactive in reconstruction and relief efforts, adding that the "United Nations needs to understand that it's required to help in a crisis". Upon traveling to the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing bordering the rebel-held territories,
UNOCHA
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is a United Nations (UN) body established in December 1991 by the General Assembly to strengthen the international response to complex emergencies and natural disaster ...
Under-Secretary Martin Griffith stated on 12 February that "We have so far failed the people in north-west Syria". As of 13 February, Ankara and the
Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army
The Syrian National Army (SNA; ), also known as the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA), is a coalition of armed Syrian opposition groups that participate in the Syrian civil war. Comprising various rebel factions that emerged at the sta ...
were accused of blocking aid convoys sent by the
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), also known as Rojava, is a ''de facto'' Autonomous administrative division, autonomous region in northeastern Syria. It consists of self-governing Regions of North and E ...
from entering the north-west region.
The United Nations (UN) criticized Russia's attempts to block delivery of aid through checkpoints to rebel-held territories. Secretary-General
António Guterres
António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth and current secretary-general of the United Nations since 2017. A member of the Socialist Party (Portugal), ...
urged the
Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
to immediately permit aid flows into Northwestern Syria. The United States appealed for the immediate opening of all closed checkpoints to send in relief efforts to all parts of Syria; calling for an emergency Security Council meeting to increase humanitarian assistance through Bab al-Hawa and open up more border crossings for the entry of UN aid.Stéphane Dujarric, a United Nations spokesperson, said on 14 February, "some aid is getting into the north-west, pointing to 58 trucks that arrived with aid through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing." However, the organization does not possess heavy equipment or search and rescue teams. He stressed that the "international community as a whole needs to step up to get that aid where it is needed."Raed al-Saleh, chief of the White Helmets, a volunteer civil defense organization, strongly rebuked the UN for its negligence and delay in responding to the rescue efforts:
"Let me be clear: The White Helmets received no support from the United Nations during the most critical moments of the rescue operations.. The UN's failure to respond quickly to this catastrophe is shameful. When I asked the UN why help had failed to arrive in time, the answer I received was bureaucracy. In the face of one of the deadliest catastrophes to strike the world in years, it seems the UN's hands were tied by red tape."
Health concerns
Due to below-freezing temperatures in the affected areas in both Turkey and Syria, the mayor of
Hatay
Hatay Province (, ) is the southernmost Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 1,686,043 (2022). It is situated mostly outside Anatolia, ...
, Lütfü Savaş, warned about the risk of
hypothermia
Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below in humans. Symptoms depend on the temperature. In mild hypothermia, there is shivering and mental confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe ...
. In Adiyaman Province, some residents trapped under rubble died from hypothermia.
Concerns arose regarding the possible spread of infection in areas where sanitation facilities were damaged or unfunctional. Due to water shortage experienced in both countries, many survivors could not shower. International health organizations said the shortage of clean water would be a public health risk. The
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
said water shortage "increases the risk of waterborne diseases and outbreaks of communicable diseases."
On 18 February, Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said there was an increase in intestinal and upper respiratory infection cases but "numbers did not pose a serious threat to public health." At a stadium serving as shelter in Kahramanmaraş, a clinic managed by 15 to 30 medics attended up to 10,000 patients in the day. The clinic provided tetanus shots and sanitary items to residents. Many people at the stadium were unable to shower and the six toilets were unable to accommodate to the large number of people. In Antakya, residents said more portable toilets were needed.
Health authorities in Turkey had to ensure earthquake survivors were free of disease. The World Health Organization collaborated with local authorities to monitor the rates of waterborne diseases,
seasonal influenza
Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of an outbreak of influenza (flu). The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemispheres of Earth, hemisphere. It takes approximately two days to ...
List of earthquakes in Turkey
Turkey has had many earthquakes. This list includes any notable historical earthquakes that have epicenters within the current boundaries of Turkey, or which caused significant effects in this area. Overall, the population in major cities like ...
*
Lists of 21st-century earthquakes
The following is a summary of significant earthquakes during the 21st century.
In terms of fatalities, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was the most destructive event with 227,898 confirmed fatalities, f ...