The Fatal Earthquakes That Hit Syria and Turkey

A pair of earthquakes have killed more than 5,000 people in Turkey and Syria. The earthquakes hit northern Syria and southern Turkey on Monday morning, striking at a magnitude of 7.8 and 7.5. Over 3,500 people have died in Turkey. Over 1,600 people have been reported dead in Syria. The death toll is expected to rise over the coming days.

A woman from Adana, a city in Turkey, told BBC News how she instantly prepared for her death, ‘It was the only thing that crossed my mind’. When the quake shook their 5th floor apartment, Nilufer Aslan told her family, ‘There is an earthquake, at least let’s die together in the same place.’ In their most recent statement, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority have noted that over 4,700 buildings have been destroyed.

It has been reported in Syria, that a huge number of buildings have collapsed in the capital city, Aleppo. Many Syrians affected by these earthquakes have already been displaced up to twenty times. The hospitals in Syria are already at breaking point, after years of conflict, and a recent cholera outbreak. 

Rescue teams are currently focusing on getting the remaining survivors out of the debris. Organizations like Save the Children UK, Global Giving, and the International Rescue Committee have taken to Instagram, hoping to raise money to help the victims of this crisis. 

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