Over 19,385 dead from powerful earthquakes in southern Türkiye

Baku, February 10, AZERTAC

At least 19,388 people were killed and 77,711 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.

Speaking in Adiyaman province, Erdogan said: "We experienced one of the greatest natural disasters in our nation's history."

He added over 141,000 personnel, including from foreign countries, are currently working in the quake-hit region.

17:07

At least 18,991 people were killed and 75,523 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of fewer than 10 hours.

At least 121,128 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the field, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

A total of 80,863 people have been evacuated from quake-hit regions, AFAD said in a statement, adding that 6,810 personnel from foreign countries were dispatched to the disaster zone.

So far, presidential planes transported 126 injured people, including 16 infants, to the hospitals in the capital Ankara.

More than 140,000 health personnel are currently working in the quake-hit region, health officials have said.