Powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria early this morning. There are now more than 1500 dead. Many buildings collapsed. Thousands of people were injured. At noon there was a new heavy earthquake. All information in the news ticker from FOCUS online.
The latest news in the Newsticker:
1:46 p.m .: Concern about the German-born soccer professional Baris Basdas. According to the “Bild” newspaper, the former Hannover 96 player was in Malatyaspor during the first earthquake, where the epicenter of the earthquake was also located. His agent Serdar Topcu initially told the newspaper that he could not reach him and that he was very worried.
In the meantime, it has become known that Basdas must have jumped from the second floor of his house and seriously injured his foot. He is being treated at a nearby hospital. However, there is still a danger to life there due to the numerous aftershocks. Topcu to “Bild”: “It’s terrible. Everyone is afraid of death. There will be several thousand dead.”
1:42 p.m .: In view of the earthquake in the Turkish-Syrian border area, the EU has activated its civil protection mechanism. “European support is already on the way,” wrote EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday on Twitter. The Europeans are ready “to help in any way possible”.
Turkey is asking its NATO partners for support in the rescue and salvage work. According to a list published by the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels on Monday, it needs emergency medical teams, emergency medical equipment and search and rescue teams that can work in difficult conditions.
Meanwhile, Malteser International sent an emergency aid team. Caritas Germany is providing 100,000 euros for the help, said a KNA spokesman. Discussions are being held with partners in Syria about further on-site assistance. In addition, it is being explored what help could be offered to Turkey. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe initially provided 500,000 euros for emergency relief measures.
12:41 p.m .: After the earthquake in the Turkish-Syrian border region, the death toll has risen to around 1,500. In Syria, Deputy Health Minister Ahmed Dhamirijeh and the White Helmets rescue organization reported a total of 590 deaths on Monday. More than 1600 people were injured. In view of the large number of victims, the number of fatalities will probably increase, the White Helmets said.
In neighboring Turkey alone, 912 people lost their lives as a result of the earthquake. More than 5,300 people were injured, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
11:51 a.m .: Another 7.5 magnitude earthquake shook southeast Turkey. The epicenter was in the province of Kahramanmaras, the Kandilli earthquake station in Istanbul reported on Monday. The earth also trembled in Syria and Lebanon.
The number of dead in the Turkish-Syrian border region has risen to more than 1,400 after the first tremors in the morning. In Turkey alone, 912 people lost their lives. More than 5,300 people were injured, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. More than 2,400 people were rescued from the rubble.
In Syria, the death toll rose to 547 dead. Around 1,600 people were injured, reported Deputy Health Minister Ahmed Dhamirijeh on Syrian state television, as well as the White Helmets rescue organization, which works in rebel-controlled areas of the country.
Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria – Here you can donate
11:20 a.m .: The number of dead has now risen to more than 1,200. According to Turkish President Erdogan, more than 900 people died in Turkey alone. In Syria, the number is currently more than 330. But many more deaths are feared.
Everything you need to know:
According to official figures, more than 1,000 people died in earthquakes in south-east Turkey and north-east Syria on Monday. According to President Erdogan, at least 912 deaths were counted in Turkey in the morning. More than 5,300 people were injured. For Syria, Deputy Health Minister Ahmed Dhamirijeh said 230 had died and more than 600 had been injured in several provinces on state television. The aid organization SAMS, which works in rebel-controlled areas in Syria, reported more than 100 more fatalities.
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey early Monday morning. According to the civil protection agency Afad, the epicenter was in the province of Kahramanmaras near the Syrian border. Another earthquake measuring 6.6 was measured shortly afterwards in the province of Gaziantep.
According to Sana, buildings in numerous cities in Syria collapsed. Photos showed rescue teams carrying people away on stretchers. The head of the National Earthquake Center, Raed Ahmed, said this was the strongest tremor to hit Syria since 1995, according to Sana.
The rescue organization White Helmets, for its part, spoke of many deaths. “We are responding with everything we can to rescue those who are under the rubble,” said group leader Raed Al Saleh. “The situation is very tragic,” said one member of the group.
According to the interior minister, several provinces in Turkey are affected. At least 1,700 buildings collapsed in Turkey. Rescue teams from across the country would be pulled together. In addition, alarm level four was declared and international help was requested. There were a total of 22 aftershocks, some strong.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote on Twitter: “We hope that we can get through this disaster together in the shortest possible time and with as little damage as possible.”
Despite severe tensions with Turkey, Greece agreed to send rescue teams to the neighboring country’s earthquake zone. “Greece will help immediately,” said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Israel also wants to provide Turkey with humanitarian aid. Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant instructed the army and defense ministry on Monday to make appropriate preparations.
Turkey is repeatedly affected by severe earthquakes. Two of the largest continental plates meet there: the African and the Eurasian. In fact, most of the Turkish population lives in constant danger of earthquakes.
In October 2020, more than 100 people died in Izmir in one of the most serious earthquakes in recent years. In 1999, Turkey was hit by one of the worst natural disasters in its history: a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in the region around the northwestern industrial city of Izmit claimed the lives of more than 17,000 people. Experts are also expecting a strong earthquake in Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, in the near future.
Tip: Forces of nature – earthquakes: These are the categories on the Richter scale
