On Monday, Turkey experienced one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded, which left thousands dead and severely damaged a heavily populated area of southern Turkey and northern Syria.
The area was particularly vulnerable to a major earthquake. Older buildings with concrete frames are common, and thousands were destroyed. Infrastructure in northern Syria was already fragile after years of airstrikes and bombardments during the country’s civil war.
Just nine hours later after the initial quake, an unusually strong magnitude 7. About 60 miles north of the initial aftershock, five more occurred along the same fault line, according to the U S. Geological Survey.
Where was the earthquake in Turkey on the map?
The devastating earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and northwest Syria on February 6, 2023, were centered near the city of Gaziantep, Turkey. The epicenter of the first earthquake, a 7.8 magnitude event, was located approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of Gaziantep. The second major earthquake, a 7.5 magnitude event, struck just nine hours later, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the first.
What caused the earthquakes?
These earthquakes occurred along the East Anatolian Fault, a major strike-slip fault that runs through eastern Turkey. The Anatolian plate, on which most of Turkey sits, is squeezed between two other tectonic plates, the Eurasian and Arabian plates. The movement of these plates causes stress to build up along the fault lines, which eventually releases in the form of earthquakes.
What was the impact of the earthquakes?
The earthquakes were incredibly powerful and shallow, with the first event occurring just 18 kilometers below the surface. This shallow depth meant that the energy from the earthquakes was not dissipated before reaching the surface, resulting in widespread destruction.
The impact of the earthquakes was devastating:
- Over 22,000 people were killed.
- Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless.
- Many buildings were destroyed, including homes, businesses, and historical landmarks.
- The earthquakes caused widespread damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and power lines.
Why were the earthquakes so destructive?
Several factors contributed to the severity of the damage caused by the earthquakes:
- The earthquakes were very powerful. The first earthquake was the strongest to hit Turkey in over 80 years.
- The earthquakes were shallow. This meant that the energy from the earthquakes was not dissipated before reaching the surface, resulting in more intense shaking.
- Many buildings in the affected areas were not built to withstand strong earthquakes. This is especially true in Syria, where many buildings have been weakened by over a decade of war.
What is being done to help?
A massive international relief effort is underway to help the victims of the earthquakes. Countries from around the world have sent aid workers, medical supplies, and financial assistance. The Turkish government has also mobilized its resources to help with the rescue and recovery efforts.
The road to recovery will be long and difficult, but the people of Turkey and Syria are resilient. With the help of the international community, they will rebuild their lives and communities.
Additional Resources:
- Earthquake in Turkey Live Map: https://earth3dmap.com/earthquake-turkey/
- The devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/TURKEY-QUAKE/zdvxdngmzvx/
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Where was the earthquake in Turkey on the map?
- What caused the earthquakes?
- What was the impact of the earthquakes?
- Why were the earthquakes so destructive?
- What is being done to help?
Destruction in Turkey
Shake intensity of first quake
Epicenter of first quake
Epicenter of first quake
Epicenter of first quake
More than 5,600 buildings were destroyed across Turkey alone after the initial quake, officials in the country said. A senior U. N. official warned that the death toll may increase substantially, which is common after major earthquakes. Malatya, Turkey.
The governor of Malatya, a province near the epicenter, said that hundreds of buildings had collapsed. Pictures from the half-million-person provincial capital showed snow falling on the wreckage, making rescue efforts more challenging.
Images from before and after the earthquake reveal how the large apartment building and a major hotel were leveled, along with the historic Yeni Mosque.
Google Maps user
Volkan Kasik/Anadolu Agency, via Getty s
Google Maps Street View
@Yedinoktabir via Storyful
Google Maps user
Depo Photos via Reuters Gaziantep, Turkey
Near the initial earthquake’s epicenter in Gaziantep, a 2,000-year-old castle sustained significant damage.
Google Maps Street View
Gaziantep is also home to around half a million Syrian refugees. Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world, 3. 6 million, most of whom reside in southern cities like Gaziantep, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Big residential buildings in Diyarbakir, the largest Kurdish city in the world and the de facto capital of the eastern Kurdish regions of Turkey, were reduced to rubble.
Videos from two different angles capture the moment a building collapsed in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Adana, Turkey
In Adana, a city of more than two million people, multiple high-rise residential buildings were reduced to rubble.
Rescuers searched for survivors in the buildings’ rubble.
A major quake, and a surprising aftershock
Initial quake, 4:17 a.m.
Large aftershock, 1:24 p.m.
Initial quake, 4:17 a.m.
Large aftershock, 1:24 p.m.
Initial quake, 4:17 a.m.
Large aftershock, 1:24 p.m.
Numerous cities close to the epicenter on both sides of the border saw collapsed apartments, hotels, and other buildings, though the full extent of the damage is still unknown.
Here’s what the damage looked like in the region’s biggest cities: