Multiple thousands of people are still missing and feared to be dead throughout both Syria and Turkey in the wake of two earthquakes that crashed through the region this past Monday.
The staggering 7.8-magnitude earthquake which slammed into the area just after 4 am was one of the strongest to afflict Turkey in the past hundred years, leading to a large number of buildings and homes being leveled down to just rubble. Later that same afternoon, a follow-up 7.5 magnitude quake slammed into the southeastern area of the country.
Well over 1,600 people have been reported as dead in the wake of the quakes that have rolled through the region, sparking tremors as far away as Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) spotlighted the fact that the affected population made their residences within structures that have historically been extremely vulnerable to the shaking of earthquakes. One report claimed that “high casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread.”
According to the early estimates coming from the USGS, there is roughly a 47% chance that the earthquake resulted in the deaths of between 1,000 to 10,000 people and a close to 20% chance that the earthquakes could have resulted in the deaths of 10,000 and 100,000.
One of the heartbreaking scenes spotted in the aftermath was a fire that resulted from a cracked gas line.
“The City of İskenderun in Southern Turkey has suffered some of the most Severe Damage caused by the Earthquake, there are reports that Fire and Rescue Crews are unable to get to many parts of the City with 100s if not 1000s of people expected to still be under collapsed buildings” reported OSINTdefender.
The City of İskenderun in Southern Turkey has suffered some of the most Severe Damage caused by the Earthquake, there are reports that Fire and Rescue Crews are unable to get to many parts of the City with 100s if not 1000s of people expected to still be under collapsed buildings pic.twitter.com/kMV2hgEBXZ
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 6, 2023
One Journalist, Barzan Sadiq, chimed in to say, “My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the earthquake that struck our region early morning. I extend my condolences to the victims’ families and loved one, and wish a quick recovery to the wounded.”
Horrifying footages emerge from towns around #Gaziantep, #Turkey. Lights in the sky and power outages. pic.twitter.com/kgkpyTX6Jy
— Barzan Sadiq (@BarzanSadiq) February 6, 2023
Officials with the Biden administration popped up with a response to the situation by claiming that it would be reaching out to offer support to the region.
“The United States is profoundly concerned by the reports of today’s destructive earthquake in Turkiye and Syria,” stated national security adviser Jake Sullivan. “We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance. President Biden has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess U.S. response options to help those most affected. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with the Government of Turkiye.”
