GAZIANTEP, Turkey — At least 2,100 people have been killed in Turkey and Syria, where a powerful earthquake on Monday collapsed thousands of buildings and raised the specter of a new humanitarian disaster in a region already wracked by war, a refugee crisis and deep economic troubles.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02...key-earthquake

Syria also affected, but not nearly as badly. Another humanitarian crisis. 😭

I read about this late last night. For anybody who's experienced an earthquake over a 6.5, the idea of a 7.8 in a highly populated area is unimaginably terrifying. As I understand it, a 7.8 is 22 times more intense than the highly destructive 6.9 we had here in 1989.
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/education/calculator.php
I don't know what to say.

The aftershock was nearly as big as the original quake, and demolished buildings that seemed to have survived the first. The combined death toll from Turkey and Syria is currently at least 2,300.

Calamity upon calamity for the Syrians.

Search and rescue teams with dogs and expertise from all over the EU on their way to the area.

There have been almost 100 aftershocks many of them over 5 and the smallest 4.3.

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthqua...OnlyShown=true

Calamities indeed, Heti.
Life under Assad, civil war, ISIS, covid and now this. Jayzus.

Those interested in a fantastic, award-winning doc about recent life in Syria could watch 'For Sama'. *The impossibly-intense ending must surely rank as one of the best ever.
'For Sama (Arabic: من أجل سما ‘min ajl sama‘) is a 2019 documentary film produced and narrated by Waad Al-Kateab, and directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts. The film focuses on Waad Al-Kateab's journey as a journalist and rebel in the Syrian uprising. Her husband is Hamza Al-Kateab, one of the few doctors left in Aleppo, and they raise their daughter Sama Al-Kateab during the Syrian Civil War.

Count your blessings.
I am done. the end.

This is a terrible catastrophe. I immediately thought of our Fodorite friend, Otherchelebi & hope he and his family are ok.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about Otherchelebi and his family. Must be dreadful. Hope they are okay.

Deceased are already up to 3,400

4,300. 😭

Just seeing on BBC horrid vision of a Syrian town reduced to rubble. No words.

Interesting article in Wapo addressing why the structural damage in Turkey is so bad. Gifted, no paywall

https://wapo.st/3RCl2Eg

Otherchelabi's wife made a brief post on Facebook yesterday but it wasn,t in English.

I take it as a good sign that otherchelebi's wife was able to post yesterday. They live in Istanbul and Iznik, so not near the epicenter of the quake. Let's hope they are ok and that we hear more soon.

Google translate indicates that her latest post , two days ago, means, Get Well Turkey.

I posted that her friends At Fodors are thinking of her and her family and hoping they are safe.

Thanks Frosty, VTtraveller & Jubilada. And whoever posted that interesting article about the "man made" cause for so much destruction - poor construction materials & methods.

Message from Fodor's regarding the earthquake in Turkey

Thanks for posting the link, LucieV.

Nearly 8,000 souls, and counting. 😭

ttt

For those interested OC has posted on the What’s for dinner thread in the lounge.

OC survived three heart attacks last Summer, learned to admire chest flap covering the defibrillator and even the one very strong and eight weaker jolts received from it when
stressed out from having to listen to brother in law for too many hours. Panic attack got stronger with the sad and irremedial occasion of the earthquake but still not as bad as the
damage caused by people who appear to be lacking in rational thought and general knowledge and empathy like the people responsible for providing the needed services after these two earthquakes which occurred within 9 hours of each other as a terrible first in world earthquake statistics.

We have been at Iznik, possibly 800 miles from the earthquake zone, since I managed to convince Eser that the availability of Galena in iznik as the russian massage therapist who is also a trained PT is more important than quick access to the three cardiologists, one brain surgeon, one neurologist, one sleep apne specialist and the interesting heart doctor who was called from Kocaeli university to deposit the pacemaker on my already marred due to open heart surgery chest, who also secretly told us that we should opt for free or cheaper care rather than what we receive at the expensive hospital where we started immediately after my first ER visit by ambulance.

Last two days we managed to send two care packages of food stuffs, diapers, baby food and bottles a blanket, vitamins and warm clothing. We shall put together another care package with first aid supplies, adult pads, warm gloves and scarfs, etc. as well as painkillers. A reputable person, a congressman has the packages picked up and combines them into two trucks a day to send to the region without involving the government.

Unfortunately, the government disaster relief organization is not to be trusted as much as the municipalities which are governed by the opposition party mayors.

Finally, after three days, we were told that 7,500 army units were sent to help. The union of mine workers from the coal mines in Northern Turkey was first denied access but managed to send some of their experienced members

The people on the street do not appear to be afraid of the government anymore, openly criticizing despite the risk of being jailed for insulting the leader or causing unrest.