Turkey Earthquake Live Updates: The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that India has sent the first batch of earthquake relief material to Turkey by an Indian Air Force aircraft. The move came hours after an announcement was made by the Prime Minister’s Office to provide relief aid to the earthquake-hit country.
The shipment included a specialist National Disaster Response Force search and rescue team, consisting of both male and female personnel, highly skilled dog squads, an array of medical supplies, advanced drilling equipment and other critical equipment needed for aid efforts.
India’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities in action. NDRF search and rescue teams, specially trained dog squads, medical supplies, drilling machines and other essential equipment along with the first batch of earthquake relief material left for Turkey, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
PM Modi’s message
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished speedy recovery to the injured.
He also directed the authorities to provide all possible assistance in dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake, which killed at least 3,400 people. “Saddened by the loss of lives and damage to property due to the earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured get well soon,” PM Modi said in a tweet.
Turkey’s answer to India
Turkish Ambassador to India Firat Sunel expressed his gratitude for the Indian government’s offer of assistance and said that “a friend in need is a true friend”. He also mentioned a Turkish proverb, “Dost kara gunde beli olur”, which means “a friend in need is a true friend”.
Fatal Turkey-Syria earthquake
Earlier, a A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,700 people. The death toll was 2,316 in Turkey and 1,444 in Syria.
According to the Turkish government, the death toll was likely to rise as rescuers searched for survivors among the rubble of collapsed buildings. Following this, the country declared seven days of national mourning.
Citizens witnessed three more powerful tremors on Monday, with officials warning people to be alert for more aftershocks. Rescue workers are currently removing slabs and pulling out bodies as desperate families await news of trapped loved ones.
victims’ reactions
“My grandson is 1 1/2 years old. Please help him, please. We have neither heard from him nor received any news from him since morning. Please, he was on the 12th floor,” Imran Bahur Cried at his destroyed apartment building in the Turkish city of Adana. His daughter and family have yet to be traced.
The quake, which was centered on Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahmanmaras, sent residents of Damascus and Beirut on the street and was felt as far away as Cairo.
Meanwhile, in a video address, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay claimed such a disaster could occur “once in a hundred years”. while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the death toll could exceed 3,000 as rescuers fished out the bodies of victims.
What happened?
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 18 kilometers and was centered in southern Turkey near Syria’s northern border. Several aftershocks have rocked the region since the initial earthquake. USGS research geologist Alex Hatem said that in the first 11 hours, the region had felt 13 significant aftershocks with a magnitude of at least 5. Scientists are studying whether the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that occurred nine hours after the main shock was an aftershock. Hatem said it appears so.
“Given the size of the main aftershock, there is definitely a possibility of more aftershocks,” Hatem said.
What type of earthquake was it?
The researchers said the quake was a strike-slip earthquake, where two tectonic plates collide with each other horizontally instead of moving up and down. In this case, one block moved west while the other moved east — grinding each other up to create the earthquake, Hatem said. The earthquake occurred in a seismically active region known as the East Anatolian Fault Zone, which has produced devastating earthquakes in the past. In January 2020 Turkey was hit by another major earthquake – a magnitude of 6.7 which caused significant damage.
Why was it so devastating?
Hatem said the quake was powerful — one of the largest strike-slip earthquakes ever to hit land. “On top of that, it is located near populated areas,” she said. Building collapse was reported in cities including Diyarbakir, Turkey and Aleppo, Syria. Rescue efforts were also hampered by freezing temperatures and traffic jams from residents trying to escape earthquake-stricken areas.
Why Turkey is Vulnerable to Earthquakes,
Earthquakes usually depend on the geographic settings and movement of tectonic plates. In the case of Turkey, it is located primarily on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia.
Also Read: Century’s Most Destructive Earthquake In Turkey, Syria, Thousands Killed; rescue underway
The region lies on top of major fault lines and is considered the most earthquake-prone country in the world. The region lies on the Anatolian tectonic plate which consists of three major tectonic plates – African, Arabian and Eurasian.
According to real-time seismic applications in determining Turkey’s seismicity and earthquake hazard, the Turkish/Anatolian Plate is bounded by the African and Arabian plates to the south, the Eurasian plate to the north, and the Aegean plate to the west. Relative motion between the African, Arabian and Eurasian plates is responsible for most of the tectonic activity in the region. As a result, the Anatolian Plate has a high risk of seismicity.
History of Deadly Earthquakes
In December of 1939, the country witnessed a major 8.0 earthquake near the eastern city of Erzincan. According to media reports, the strong earthquake is believed to be the second most powerful earthquake in the country. As per reports, more than 20,000 people were killed and around 1,20,000 buildings were damaged.
After massive destruction, it saw another five disasters between 1942 and 1967. However, on the fateful day of 17 August 1999, a 7.4-strong earthquake struck near the north-eastern city of Izmit, killing over 18,000 people and leaving over two and a half million people homeless. In 2011, another powerful earthquake killed more than 130 people in the country.
(with PTI inputs)