At Least 111 Dead in Syria from 7.8 Earthquake
Tsunami Warning Issued on Italian Coast
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] A magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred in southeastern Turkey (T?rkiye) is causing damage to spread not only in T?rkiye but also to neighboring countries. Hundreds of casualties have been reported in Syria, which borders T?rkiye, and a tsunami warning has been issued for the Italian coast.
According to AP News and SANA News on the 6th (local time), the Syrian Ministry of Health reported that earthquake damage occurred in the Aleppo, Latakia, and Hama regions, with 111 deaths and 516 injuries confirmed so far.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held an emergency meeting and issued an urgent response order to take all necessary measures to handle the earthquake damage.
A tsunami warning was issued along the Italian coast due to the earthquake's aftermath. Italian authorities judged that there is a high possibility of a tsunami hitting the coast and urged residents in the affected areas to move to higher ground and await official instructions.
The T?rkiye earthquake occurred at around 4:17 a.m. local time on the day, about 33 km inland from the southern city of Gaziantep, with a magnitude of 7.8, matching the power of the worst earthquake recorded in T?rkiye’s history 84 years ago.
The death toll so far is 76, with 440 injured. Since the earthquake occurred early in the morning, many citizens were unable to evacuate and were trapped in buildings, so casualties are expected to rise.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged support for T?rkiye and Syria on the 5th (U.S. local time). The White House stated in a press release that “the United States is ready to provide necessary assistance” and “will continue to monitor the situation in cooperation with the Turkish government.”
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