ANKARA — At least 7,926 people have died as a result of the Monday earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria, according to reports from officials cited by CNN.
Turkey was shaken by earthquakes on Monday, which caused at least 5,894 fatalities and 34,810 injuries, according to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.
According to a CNN report, 3,849 people have been injured and at least 1,832 people have killed in Syria.
According to a news report, Orhan Tatar, the general director of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD), stated that at least 5,775 buildings fell after a strong earthquake struck Turkey on Monday.
According to Hulusi Akar, the defense minister of Turkey, approximately 7,500 Turkish soldiers are assisting with rescue efforts in the earthquake-affected area.
Hulusi Akar also stated that 1,500 more people will be joining the team on Wednesday. According to Hulusi Akar, 75 military planes have been sent to the area, according to the CNN report.
He continued by saying that four commando battalions from Cyprus and nine commando battalions from the west have both arrived in the area.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 southern provinces which were severely affected by massive quakes, according to Anadolu Agency.
While addressing the State Information Coordination Center in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said, “Based on the authority given to us by Article 119 of the Constitution, we decided to declare a state of emergency.”
“We will swiftly complete the presidential and parliamentary formalities on the state of emergency decision, which will apply to 10 provinces where earthquakes have occurred and last for three months,” he said.
Erdogan’s remarks came after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Pazarcik district of Kahramanmaras province on Monday.
Later, according to the Anadolu Agency, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake with a center in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras shook the area and had an impact on a number of other provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, and Gaziantep.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a third earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 occurred on Monday in Goksun, Turkey. Several nations in the vicinity, notably Syria and Lebanon, felt the effects of the earthquake as well.
Anadolu Agency quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying, “Both earthquakes were experienced at a distance of 7 kilometers on earth, which exponentially exacerbated the intensity of the catastrophe.”
He further said, “It has caused great destruction in a very wide area compared to their counterparts. Therefore, we are faced with one of the biggest disasters not only in our Republic’s history but also in our geography and the world.”
According to a report by the Anadolu Agency, Erdogan stressed that due to the earthquake’s severe effects, the government promptly dispatched expert individuals and vehicles from throughout the nation to the area.
He said that in spite of the challenges brought on by the weather, the teams worked valiantly to get to the disaster area and take part in the task. — (IANS)