New Delhi: A powerful earthquake was felt 23 km east of Nurdagi, Turkey. The quake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. This earthquake also caused heavy destruction in Syria.
The US Geological Survey said at least 53 people were killed in Turkey and 42 in neighbouring Syria.
Officials said 23 people were killed in Malatya province, 17 in Urfa, seven in Osmania and six in Diyarbakir, although the death toll due to heavy damage is expected to rise even more. At least 42 people have been killed in the form of several buildings in government-controlled parts of Syria.
“As a result of the initial quake, 42 deaths and 200 injuries have been reported in Aleppo, Hama and Latakia,” a news agency quoted a health ministry official as saying.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Gaziantep in southern Turkey on Monday, the US Geological Service said. Its center is Nurda, 26 kilometers east of Turkey.
This area is near Gaziantep. The population of this area is about two million, of which five lakh are Syrian refugees. It is feared that the earthquake may cause large-scale loss of life and property.