Strong Earthquake Strikes Turkey
In the province of Malatya in Turkey, which suffered significant destruction from powerful earthquakes earlier this year, new substantial underground tremors have occurred. This information was reported by the Turkish publication Anadolu.
According to AFAD, the organization responsible for managing emergencies, the magnitude of these tremors was recorded as 5.3. The epicenter was located in the district of Yesilyurt in the province of Malatya. The earthquake occurred at 20:48 at a depth of 7 kilometers.
The same areas that were affected by the devastating earthquake in February felt these tremors - Kahramanmaras, Adiyaman, Gaziantep.
The government reported that 23 people sustained minor injuries, with some of them jumping from balconies out of fear of being trapped under debris. Initial reports suggest that several buildings suffered significant damage.
Recalling that on February 6, 2023, powerful earthquakes measuring 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck the southeastern region of Turkey and northern Syria, resulting in the loss of nearly 60,000 lives in both countries.
This earthquake was accompanied by numerous aftershocks, including an extremely powerful 7.5 magnitude tremor nine hours after the main earthquake. The death toll from the destructive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, exceeded 41,000. A severe winter storm hindered rescue efforts, burying the rubble under snow and causing a sharp drop in temperature. The low temperatures put those affected, especially those trapped under debris, at a high risk of hypothermia.
Scientists compared the strength of the two earthquakes that occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023 (the first lasting 65 seconds and the second 45 seconds), to the impact of 500 atomic bombs. According to Orhan Tatar, AFAD's General Director of Earthquake and Risk Reduction. Later, more than 2,000 aftershocks occurred, with the majority being above 4 in magnitude.
In Turkey, the extent of the destruction has sparked a discussion about urban planning regulations and the responsibility of developers. Following the natural disaster, arrests of representatives of the construction industry began. As of mid-July, 350 individuals were under arrest. In the course of investigations into 1,757 individuals believed to be involved in substandard construction of buildings destroyed by the earthquakes, 351 individuals were arrested by the court, while 642 were detained but released on probation.