Powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake kills at least 200 in Turkey and Syria

A strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook southeastern Turkey and Syria early Monday morning, causing at least 200 deaths and collapsing dozens of buildings. Authorities believe the death toll may rise.

The quake, which was felt as far away as Cairo, Beitur and Damascus, was centered north of the city of Gaziantep, in an area 60 miles (about 90 kilometers) from the Syrian border.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake was felt 11 miles (about 18 kilometers). A 6.7 aftershock rumbled about 10 minutes later.

The Turkish disaster and emergency management agency reported that at least 76 people had died in seven Turkish provinces. The agency said 440 people were injured.

In government controlled areas in Syria the death toll rose to 111, with at least 516 injured, according to state media. Previously, 20 people had been reported dead in rebel-held areas.

Several people gather around a collapsed building in Pazarcik, in the Kahramanmaras province of southern Turkey, early on Monday, February 6, 2023.

Credit: AP

At least 130 buildings collapsed in Turkey’s Malatya province, neighboring the epicenter, according to Governor Hulusi Sahin. In the Turkish city of Diyarbakir, at least 15 buildings collapsed. Rescue teams called for silence as they searched for survivors in a collapsed 11-story building.

Scenes of panic and despair were seen on the streets of the most impacted cities on a cold winter night. Rescue teams and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in several cities on both sides of the border.

A collapsed building after an earthquake, Monday, February 6, 2023, in Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province, southern Turkey.

Credit: AP

In an earthquake-hit Turkish city, dozens of people were pulling out chunks of concrete and twisted metal. People on the street were yelling at those inside a partially collapsed apartment building, which was leaning dangerously.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on his Twitter account that “rescue and search teams” had been sent to the earthquake-affected areas.

Turkey sits on one of the planet’s main geological fault lines.

The earthquake was also felt in Lebanon and Syria

On the Syrian side of the border, the quake hit opposition-controlled regions that are home to some 4 million Syrians displaced from other parts of the country by the long-running civil war. Many of them live in deplorable conditions and with little health care. At least 11 died in one town, Atmeh, and many more were buried in rubble, a local doctor, Muheeb Qaddour, told The Associated Press by phone.

“We fear that the dead will number in the hundreds,” Qaddour said, referring to the rebel-held northwest. “We are under extreme pressure.

Syrian state media reported that some buildings collapsed in the northern city of Aleppo and the central city of Hama.

The earthquake was also felt in Beirut (Lebanon) and Damascus.

1/11

A flow of lava flows from the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii. It is the largest active volcano on the planet and it is the first time in 38 years that it has erupted.

Credit: Marco Garcia/AP

2/11

Although the Mauna Loa eruption did not pose an immediate threat to Hawaiian communities, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has urged people to take precautions.

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3/11

The USGS warned the approximately 200,000 residents of the Big Island of Hawaii, where the volcano is located, that the eruption “can be highly dynamic, and the location and progress of lava flows can change rapidly.”

Credit: RONIT FAHL/AFP via Getty Images

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4/11

The glow caused by the fire and explosions from the eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano is seen from Kona Bay, Hawaii. Officials told residents to be ready to evacuate if lava flows start heading toward populated areas.

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5/11

On Monday night, hundreds of people lined a road as lava flowed down the side of Mauna Loa and gushed out.

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6/11

The eruption began late Sunday night after a series of fairly strong earthquakes, Ken Hon, scientist in charge of the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, told the Associated Press.

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7/11

Throughout Monday, the eruption moved northeast and spread up the side of the volcano, with several lava flows coming down the slope. The areas where lava is pouring — the volcano’s summit crater and the vents on the northeast flank — are far from homes and communities.

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8/11

The authorities asked the public to stay away from the area where volcanic material and lava are flowing, given the danger it poses.

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9/11

The volcano is spewing rocks and lava with a force that lifts volcanic material 30 to 60 meters high from three separate fissures estimated to be 1.6 to 3.2 kilometers (1 to 2 miles) long. Volcanic gases coming out of the vents, mainly sulfur dioxide, are harmful, authorities warned.

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10/11

Air quality on the Big Island of Hawaii was generally good for Tuesday afternoon, November 29, but authorities are carefully monitoring it. However, these conditions could worsen as volcanic activity increases.

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11/11

Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, it is still contained and authorities say that while the volcano does not threaten nearby communities at this time, area residents should stay indoors while the alert level is raised. Follow all the news on Univision.