On Monday, February 6th, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria and caused at least 5,000 deaths and thousands of buildings to be destroyed The earthquake was felt across four countries, which was followed by a 7.5 earthquake and multiple aftershocks in the afternoon. Lebanese cities like Tripoli and Beirut were also affected by the earthquake, causing citizens to flee their homes and hide/sleep in their cars, fearing any other aftershocks that may be coming.
Search teams within Turkey have already rescued at least 2,500 people, however the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the earthquake could cause at least 10,000 casualties and over a billion dollars in economic losses.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency because of the earthquakes, stating that; “The scale of the earthquake of course makes us take certain extraordinary measures…we will be completing all the necessary procedures and formalities very fast.”
Many countries have pledged their support and aid to Syria and Turkey, with President Biden saying that the U.S. was working on an “immediate response”, as well as the European Union, U.K., and countries within Asia pledging their support and aid to Turkey and Syria.
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