Turkey, Feb 8: After Five back-to-back earthquakes since Monday Turkey and Syria are witnessing devastating scenes across both countries. The death toll reportedly crossed the 7,000 mark and now it stands at 7700, leaving thousands more people injured.
On Monday, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 centered in the Pazarcik district jolted Kahramanmaras and hit several provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis. Later in the day, an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude centred in Kahramanmaras’s Elbistan district jolted the region.
The earthquake was also felt in several neighbouring countries, including Lebanon and Syria. The third earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale hit Goksun, Turkey. The United Nations said the first quake of magnitude 7.8 that had hit the southern Turkey early Monday was the county’s most powerful quake in more than 80 years.
Meanwhile, the Turkish president on Tuesday declared a ‘state of emergency ’ in 10 worst-hit provinces for the next 3 months.
Footballer Christian Atsu Survives:
The 31-year-old Ghana international, now playing his football with Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor, was unaccounted for alongside his club’s sporting director Taner Savut in the aftermath of the disaster.
There were conflicting reports about Atsu’s status on Monday evening, but Ghana’s national football governing body provided a positive update on social media on Tuesday morning.
A Ghana Football Association tweet read: “Update: We’ve received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment. Let’s continue to pray for Christian.”
Turkish goalkeeper Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan Dies:
Turkaslan was the victim of one of many collapsed buildings in Turkey, the team said.
“Our goalkeeper, Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, lost his life after being under the collapse of the earthquake,” wrote the club on social media. “Rest in peace. We will not forget you, beautiful person.”
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