Date: 6th February 2023 | Time: 01:17:32 UTC | Location: 37.23 N ; 37.02 E | Depth: 10 km | Magnitude: 7.8
A very powerful earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.8 struck the southwest of Turkey. The hypocenter was at a depth of 10 km. The epicenter was located 26 km east-northeast of Nurdağı. The town is home to 12,800 people. The major city of Gaziantep, with over 1 million residents, is only 37 km away from the epicenter. There have been significant damages and numerous fatalities and injuries. Images show that houses along entire streets have collapsed. The main earthquake occurred during the night, waking many people who couldn’t manage to leave their homes in time. The earthquake happened at 04:17:32 local time or 01:17:32 UTC.
According to media reports, a small tsunami occurred in the Mediterranean, even though the epicenter wasn’t located on the coast but further inland.
The earthquake occurred in the border region with Syria. The well-known city of Aleppo, which was largely destroyed during the Syrian war, is also within the affected area of the earthquake. Preliminary figures indicate that at least 280 people have lost their lives in Turkey. In Syria, over 300 deaths have been confirmed so far. Additionally, there are hundreds of injuries. The casualty numbers will continue to rise, as search and rescue operations are still in their early stages.
Update: According to the latest counts, the earthquake has caused more than 57,000 casualties in Turkey and Syria combined. Enormous property damage has also occurred.