A major earthquake, measuring a devastating 7.8 on the Richter scale, struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday, leading to the deaths of around 1,700 people and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed in both nations.
The cataclysmic quake, which hit in the early darkness of a winter morning, has been the worst to hit Turkey since 1999. Tremors were also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.
Not long after, an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude struck southeast Turkey, according to the US Geological Survey. The shallow quake hit at 1:24 pm (1024 GMT) four kilometres (2.5 miles) south-southeast of the town of Ekinozu.
Rescue workers operating in bitter winter weather pulled casualties from rubble across the region. Abdul Salam al Mahmoud, a Syrian in the town of Atareb, said it felt “like the apocalypse”.
— Thumbnail and banner image from Reuters
