“It seemed that the day of judgment had come.”
Citizens recalled the large-scale earthquake of magnitude 7.8 that struck southern Turkey on the morning of the 6th (local time).
According to AFP, Reuters and local media, at least 3,800 people have been identified so far in both countries as a result of the powerful earthquake that struck the border between Turkey and Syria. More than 16,000 people were also injured.
The earthquake occurred at 4:17 am on the same day at 17.9 km underground, about 33 km inland from Gaziantep, a city in southern Turkey. At 1:24 pm, before the impact of the first earthquake had subsided, an additional earthquake of magnitude 7.5 occurred 59 km north-northeast of Kahramanmaras, Turkiye.
Two strong earthquakes and 80 aftershocks caused many buildings to collapse throughout the city. The seven-story building in Sanliurfa collapsed in a matter of seconds, and sparks flew from all sides as power line towers built beside the road collapsed.
Twitter captureThe landmark of Gaziantep with a history of 2,200 years, ‘Gaziantep Castle’ also collapsed. The dome and eastern wall of the Shirvani Mosque, believed to have been built in the 17th century next to Gaziantep Castle, also collapsed. Photos comparing before and after the collapse of Gaziantep Castle are being shared on social media such as Twitter.
The Aleppo fortress, located on a hill in the center of the northwestern city of Aleppo, was also destroyed. Built in the 13th century, the Aleppo citadel has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the remains of temples, palaces, and baths.
The earthquake occurred during snowy weather across the Middle East and when people were in a deep sleep. Residents who managed to escape from their homes had to shiver as they wandered through the pitch-black streets in their pajamas.
Syrians who went through all the ‘sanitary battles’ in the civil war that lasted from 2011 to the present said, “It was more terrifying than the civil war.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Türkiye declared a week of national mourning.
President Yoon Seok-yeol tweeted on the morning of the 7th, “I am ready to support Turkiyeh, brothers forged in blood in the Korean War, in every possible way.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.