The strong earthquake of magnitude 7.7 that shook Turkey and Syria has so far left more than 2,300 dead in both nations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that some 45 countries have offered help after the devastating earthquake and the strong aftershocks that are still going on.
“It is the strongest earthquake since the Erzincan earthquake of 1939. According to the latest evaluations it is 7.7. There is serious damage also in the neighboring areas of Syria,” said the Turkish president, confirming that there have been landslides or serious damage to more than 2,800 homes and that 2,470 people have been rescued alive from the rubble.
“Because debris removal work continues in many buildings in the earthquake zone, we do not know how high the number of deaths and injuries will be,” Erdogan said.
The low temperatures and the snow in the area, where there are also mountainous territories that are difficult to access, complicate the rescue tasks.
The power of the earthquake
Gaziantep Castle, recognized for its historical and tourist value, ended up in rubble. “The iron bars around the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks. The retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. Large cracks were observed in some bastions”, reported the local agency ‘Anadolu’.
(Also: Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria: the keys to sizing the enormous tragedy).
According to the tourism portal of the city of Gaziantep, the castle had a gallery that had recently been converted into the Panorama Museum of Defense and Heroism, with which it was intended to show “the history of resistance of the people of Antep against the enemy occupation”. More than 2,000 figures were there, among statues, boards and reliefs.
“It is one of the best examples of surviving castles in Turkey”, this is how the official page of the country’s Museums described it for its great valueas it had been built between the 2nd and 3rd century by the Romans.
Gaziantep Castle is completely destroyed after today’s earthquake in Turkey.
The castle was built by the Hittite Empire and later built into a main castle by the Roman Empire in 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. pic.twitter.com/6Amv0PfhNT
— Oskar Aanmoen 🇳🇴 (@OAanmoen) February 6, 2023
A few steps from this building is the Sirvani Mosque, built around the 17th century. According to local media, it partially collapsed.
(You can read: Turkey earthquake: these are the hotlines for affected Colombians).
Çok here çok!
Geçmiş olsun Türkiye’m, geçmiş olsun Gaziantep’im!Bu acı nasıl anlatılır ki, Gaziantep’in minaresiyle mümtaz İki Şerefeli Camii (Şirvani)’de depreme yenik düşmüş.
ok here ok… pic.twitter.com/PGblaD9ojx
— Murat Dağ (@muratdag027) February 6, 2023
In Malatya, southeast of Turkey, The damage to a large part of the Yeni Mosque, recognized for its more than 120 years old, is reported. “It has become the symbol of the city,” said the local media ‘Ensonhaber’.
It had been built right in the same place where the Hacı Yusuf Mosque was, which was completely destroyed by an earthquake on March 3, 1984.
The Catholic Church of the city of Alexandretta (in Turkish İskenderun) also ended up in ruins after the earthquake and the following aftershocks.
The building dates from 1858 when the Carmelites arrived in the city. a fire destroyed it in those years, so in 1901 it had been opened to the public again after a restoration process.
(We recommend: Turkey earthquake: heartbreaking videos of children rescued from rubble).
In 2005 its last modification was presented. The Bishop ordered a new restoration “for its consecration and use as a true Cathedral”, according to the website of the Catholic Church in Turkey.
Damage at archaeological sites in Syria
Due to the power of the earthquake, Syria is experiencing an emergency situation due to the collapse of residential buildings and the damage to important archaeological sites.
“Parts of the Ottoman mill from the interior of the Aleppo citadel collapsed, and parts of the northeastern defensive walls cracked and split“, declared the same source in a statement.
(Keep reading: Earthquake in Turkey: the images of the devastating quake).
“Large parts of the dome of the Ayyubid mosque’s minaret” inside the citadel also collapsed, “including the entrance to the Mamluk defensive tower,” the statement added.
In Syria’s west-central province of Hama, archaeological teams reported “some damaged buildings inside the ancient Margat castle” in the city of Baniás. A part of the walls and a tower also collapsed.
*With information from EFE
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