The devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have claimed tens of thousands of lives. As quoted by us from CNN, here are some facts about the earthquake:
1. Earthquake location
One of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in a century rocked residents during their deep sleep on Monday (6/2) at dawn around 04.00. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck 23 kilometers east of Nurdagi, in Gaziantep Province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
A series of aftershocks occurred across the region within hours of the initial quake. Then, aftershocks of magnitude 6.7 occurred 11 minutes after the first quake hit. It didn't stop there, a large earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 occurred about nine hours later.
2. The cause of the earthquake in Turkey was very deadly
Several factors contributed to why this earthquake was so deadly. The first is, of course, the strength of the earthquake and the second is the time it happened at dawn, so residents could not anticipate evacuation because many were sleeping. They were trapped in the ruins of the building.
In addition, the bad and wet weather that hit the affected area made it more difficult for rescuers to reach it. What's more, the air temperature can reach below zero degrees.
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This made the residents trapped in the rubble of the building even more vulnerable. Not only days without eating and drinking, the risk of hypoportemia also lurk.
3. Many buildings collapsed
Thousands of buildings in Turkey collapsed due to the earthquake. USGS engineer Kishor Jaiswal said because Turkey has experienced major earthquakes in the past, including the 1999 quake that killed more than 14,000 people, many parts of Turkey have regulations in place to ensure construction can survive this kind of event.
But not all buildings were built according to modern Turkish seismic standards. Deficiencies in design and construction, especially in older buildings, mean that many buildings cannot withstand the severity of the shaking.
It is also suspected that many of the buildings that collapsed were likely built before 1999 or later. That was a big factor in the building not being able to survive the earthquake and collapse.
4. How devastating was the Turkey earthquake?
The strength of the earthquake is known as the magnitude. The intensity of the shaking can vary depending on the local geography and topography, as well as the depth of the earthquake. Well, the shock of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in southern Turkey could be felt as far away as Israel and Lebanon, hundreds of kilometers away.
Turkey is no stranger to strong earthquakes, as it lies along tectonic plate boundaries. Seven earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have hit the country in the last 25 years, of which this quake was one of the strongest.
It was also the strongest earthquake to have occurred anywhere in the world since an 8.1 earthquake struck near the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean in 2021. The difference was that the remote location of the incident caused little damage.
5. Why is Turkey prone to earthquakes?
Turkey is frequently shaken by earthquakes. In 2020 for example, nearly 33,000 earthquakes were recorded in the region, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). Of that number, 332 have a magnitude of 4.0 and higher.
Turkey is highly prone to earthquakes due to its location at the junction of three tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust. The country sits on the Anatolian tectonic plate, which is sandwiched between the Eurasian and African plates.
The North Anatolian fault line (NAF), the meeting point of the Eurasian and Anatolian tectonic plates, is devastating. The NAF, one of the best understood fault systems, stretches from south of Istanbul to northeastern Turkey and has caused devastating earthquakes in the past. In 1999, this area triggered two earthquakes, each measuring 7.4 and 7.0, in the provinces of Golcuk and Duzce. Nearly 18,000 people were killed and more than 45,000 injured.
Nearly 95% of the country's land area is reportedly prone to earthquakes, while about a third of the country is at high risk, including the areas around Istanbul and Izmir.