Earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria, leaving more than 1,900 dead and thousands injured

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit southeast Turkey on Monday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, mere hours after a first major temblor killed more than 1,900 people on both sides of the Turkish and Syrian borders in the region. The first quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks felt for hundreds of miles around.

The first earthquake, a magnitude 7.8, hit southeast Turkey and northern Syria. In addition to the dead, thousands were injured and a frantic search was underway for survivors trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Turkey’s disaster and emergencies management agency (AFAD said the initial quake had claimed at least 1,121 lives and destroyed some 2,824 buildings, according to the Reuters news agency. Syrian government officials and rescue agencies that work in rebel-held parts of the war-torn nation said more than 780 people were killed in the country.

People search through rubble following an earthquake in Adana, Turkey on Feb. 6, 2023. IHLAS NEWS AGENCY (IHA) via Reuters

The first powerful quake struck before dawn on a rainy and snowy night. It was felt as far away as Cairo, Cyprus, Lebanon and even in Greenland and Denmark. 

Many nations immediately offered assistance, including the United States, Germany, France, Greece and Ukraine.