The overall death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and northern Syria on Monday rose to 360 as health officials in the Syrian capital of Damascus reported that 237 people died in government-held areas of the country. Hundreds more were reported injured in both countries. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management agency said 440 people were injured.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone with the governors of eight affected provinces to gather information on the situation and rescue efforts, his office said in a statement. He said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the quake. “We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible with the least damage.”
Asserting that India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said: “Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy.”
The quake struck at 04:17 am local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 17.9 kilometres (11 miles), the US Geological Survey said, with a 6.7-magnitude aftershock striking 15 minutes later. Turkey’s emergency management ministry, the AFAD, said the quake first struck in the town of Pazarcık, an hour north of Gaziantep, a key industrial city in southern Turkey. The town of Nurdağı, some 80km (50 miles) south-west, was the epicentre of the second tremor. Along with several cities, the area is home to millions of Syrian refugees who fled their country’s long-running civil war.
