Earthquake-hit Turkey Declares One-Week National Mourning Period

Erdogan "Early Flag Lowering Until Sunset on the 12th"
About 4,000 Deaths... Nationwide School Closures Ordered

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Turkey, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to declare a national mourning period.

On the 6th (local time), President Erdogan announced on Twitter, "A seven-day national mourning period will be declared," adding, "Flags will be flown across the country and at representative offices until sunset on Sunday, the 12th."

On the 6th (local time), a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred in southeastern Turkey. Rescue teams are seen carrying injured people from a collapsed building in Adana, southern Turkey.
[Photo by AP News]

According to the local daily H?rriyet, the Ministry of Education has ordered the closure of schools nationwide until the 13th to focus on recovery efforts and observe a time of mourning. Additionally, the Ministry decided to send relief funds to the affected areas and provide psychological support for displaced persons and the families of victims. Plans are also being considered to use dormitories, teacher accommodations, and schools in the affected regions as temporary shelters for the displaced.

At approximately 4:17 a.m. on the 6th, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred inland about 33 km from the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep, at a depth of 17.9 km. Later, at 1:24 p.m., a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck 59 km north-northeast of Kahramanmara?.

So far, the death toll has exceeded 3,700, and concerns are rising that casualties will continue to increase as many aging buildings collapsed due to the earthquake's impact.