Thousands dead in Turkey and Syria after 7.8 magnitude earthquake
Anthony Albanese has committed millions to help Turkey and Syria as the search for survivors continues amid a rising death toll. See the pictures. Warning: Graphic.
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Australia will contribute $10 million to the global humanitarian effort left in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
The most powerful earthquake in nearly a century struck the two nations on Monday, killing over 4300 people in their sleep, levelling buildings and causing tremors felt as far away as Greenland.
The 7.8-magnitude night-time tremor, followed hours later by another quake measuring 7.5, wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a region filled with millions of people who have fled the civil war in Syria and other conflicts.
The initial magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit at 4.17am local time. The 7.5 magnitude quake struck southeastern Turkey about nine hours later at 1.24pm, local time.
Millions of people in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel felt the earth shake.
However the shocking figure is set to rise significantly above the provisional tally - the World Health Organisation has forecast as many as 20,000 deaths.
“There’s continued potential of further collapses to happen so we do often see in the order of eight fold increases on the initial numbers,” the WHO’s senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, told AFP.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his joint press conference with new New Zealand Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, to extend Australia’s “deepest sympathies and condolences” to those impacted.
“These multiple earthquakes that hit the region are having a devastating impact, and today I can announce the Australian government will provide an initial $10 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected through our Red Cross partners and through humanitarian agencies,” Mr Albanese said.
“Australia’s assistance will target those in greatest need.
“I think all of the world’s thoughts and condolences are with the people in this region who are suffering at this time.”
It comes after US President Joe Biden promised his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that the country would send “any and all” aid needed to help recover from a devastating earthquake.
“He reaffirmed the readiness of the United States to provide any and all needed assistance to our NATO ally Turkey in response to this tragedy,” the White House said in a statement.
“He noted that US teams are deploying quickly to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and co-ordinate other assistance.”
DFAT NOT AWARE OF AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday night tweeted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is not aware of any Australian casualties in the region.
“All Australians are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and terrible devastation unfolding after the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria,” he said.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely with our embassies in Ankara, Istanbul, and Beirut,” he said.
TURKEY RESCUE EFFORT HAMPERED BY WEATHER
Shocked survivors in Turkey rushed out into the snow-covered streets in their pyjamas, watching rescuers dig through the debris of damaged homes with their hands.
The rescue was being hampered by a winter blizzard that covered major roads in ice and snow.
“Seven members of my family are under the debris,” Muhittin Orakci, a stunned survivor in Turkey’s mostly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, told AFP.
“My sister and her three children are there. And also her husband, her father-in-law and her mother-in-law.”
Officials said the quake made three major airports in the area inoperable, further complicating deliveries of vital aid.
The initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, including a 7.5-magnitude tremor that jolted the region in the middle of search and rescue work on Monday afternoon.
AFP reporters and witnesses felt the second jolt as far apart as the Turkish capital Ankara and the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Irbil.
‘WE HEAR VOICES’: FRANTIC SEARCH IN SYRIA
In Syria, rescuers have been rushing to search for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings since the earthquake hit Syria at dawn.
Pro-government media said several buildings had partially collapsed in Hama, central Syria.
AFP correspondents in northern Syria said terrified residents ran out of their homes after the ground shook.
The head of Syria’s National Earthquake Centre, Raed Ahmed, told pro-government radio that this was “the biggest earthquake recorded in the history of the centre”.
Osama Abdel Hamid, a quake survivor in Syria, said his family was sleeping the when shaking began.
“I woke up my wife and my children and we ran towards the door,” he said.
“We opened it and suddenly all the building collapsed.”
A spokesman for Syria’s civil defence said teams were scrambling to rescue trapped people.
“Many buildings in different cities and villages in northwestern Syria collapsed … Even now, many families are under the rubble,” said Ismail Alabdallah.
“We hear voices here – and over there, too,” one rescuer was overheard as saying on NTV television in front of a flattened building in the city of Diyarbakir.
“There may be 200 people under the rubble.”
SANA had reported earlier that the earthquake was felt from the western coast of Latakia to Damascus.
“This earthquake is the strongest since the National Earthquake Centre was founded in 1995,” Raed Ahmed, who heads the centre, told SANA.
Images on Turkish television and social media showed rescuers digging through the rubble of levelled buildings in the city of Kahramanmaras and neighbouring Gaziantep.
“I convey my best wishes to all our citizens who were affected by the earthquake,” Mr Erdogan tweeted.
“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage.”
NTV television said buildings also crumbed in the cities of Adiyaman and Malatya.
A fire lit up the night sky in one image from Kahramanmaras, although its origin remained unclear.
CNN Turk television said the quake was also felt across parts of central Turkey and the capital Ankara.
WORLD REACTS
The Syrian government on Monday urged the international community to come to its aid.
“Syria appeals to member states of the United Nations … the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian” groups to support “efforts to face the devastating earthquake”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said the Syrian government was ready “to provide all the required facilities to international organisations so they can give Syrians humanitarian aid”, after meeting with UN representatives and aid groups.
Washington, the European Union, India and Russia all immediately sent condolences and offers of help.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to provide “the necessary assistance” to Turkey, whose combat drones are helping Kyiv fight the Russian invasion.
US President Joe Biden said he was “deeply saddened” and promised his country’s assistance Monday.
US President Joe Biden promised his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that the country would send “any and all” aid needed to help recover from a devastating earthquake.
“He reaffirmed the readiness of the United States to provide any and all needed assistance to our NATO ally Turkey in response to this tragedy,” the White House said in a statement.
“He noted that US teams are deploying quickly to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and co-ordinate other assistance.”
He earlier tweeted: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in co-ordination with Turkiye and provide any and all needed assistance.”
“Our teams are deploying quickly to begin to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced by the earthquake,” he added in a statement later released by the White House.
China’s President Xi Jinping sent his condolences to Turkish and Syrian leaders on Monday.
Xi told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in separate messages he was “shocked” to learn of the disaster, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
He also conveyed “deep condolences for the dead and sincere sympathy for their families as well as for the injured.”
The United Arab Emirates on Monday pledged humanitarian assistance worth around $13.6 million ($A20 million) to Syria.
Turkey is in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. The Turkish region of Duzce suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in 1999 – the worst to hit Turkey in decades. That quake killed more than 17,000 people, including about 1000 in Istanbul.
Experts have long warned a large quake could devastate Istanbul, which has allowed widespread building without safety precautions.
A magnitude-6.8 quake hit Elazig in January 2020, killing more than 40 people.
And in October that year, a magnitude-7.0 quake hit the Aegean Sea, killing 114 people and injuring more than 1000.
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia.
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