2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes

2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake

Clockwise from top left: Rescue efforts in Hama, Syria; Adıyaman; damaged Gaziantep Castle; Diyarbakır; Hatay; Hatay
800km 500miles    The epicenter of the mainshock
UTC time	2023-02-06 01:17:35
ISC event	625613033
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	February 6, 2023 (2023-02-06)
Local time	04:17 a.m. TRT (UTC+3)
Duration	80 seconds
Magnitude	Mww 7.8 (USGS) Mw 7.7 (KOERI)
Depth	17.9 km (11 mi) (USGS) 5 km (3 mi) (KOERI)
Epicenter	First: Şehitkamil, Gaziantep 37.166°N 37.032°E / 37.166; 37.032 Second: Ekinözü, Kahramanmaraş 38.0818°N 37.1773°E / 38.0818; 37.1773
Fault	Dead Sea Transform, East Anatolian Fault, Çardak–Sürgü Fault
Type	Strike-slip
Areas affected	Predominantly Turkey and Syria
Total damage	US$84.1 billion (estimated)
Max. intensity	MMI XI (Extreme)
Peak acceleration	1.62 g
Tsunami	0.17 m (6.7 in)
Aftershocks	2,109 (by 12 February) 230+ with a Mw 4.0 or greater Largest: Mw  7.7 at 13:24 TRT (UTC+3), 6 February 2023
Casualties	> 47,840 deaths, 122,500 injured > 41,150 deaths, 108,000 injured in Turkey > 6,680 deaths, 14,500 injured in Syria
Citations

On 6 February 2023, a M_w 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Turkey, as well as northern and western Syria. It occurred 32.4 km (20.1 mi) west–northwest of Gaziantep at 04:17 am TRT (01:17 UTC), with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme). A M_w 7.7 earthquake occurred nine hours later, centered 95 km (59 mi) to the north–northeast in Kahramanmaraş Province. There was widespread damage and tens of thousands of fatalities.

The first earthquake was the strongest earthquake in Turkey since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, of the same magnitude, together with which it is the second-strongest in the history of the country after the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake. It was the deadliest seismic event in the history of modern Turkey. and the deadliest in Syria since the 1822 Aleppo earthquake. It was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the Levant, and the deadliest earthquake worldwide since the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It was the fifth-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century. It was felt as far as Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, and the Black Sea coast of Turkey.

The earthquakes were followed by more than 2,100 aftershocks. The seismic sequence was the result of shallow strike-slip faulting. As of 20 February 2023, over 47,800 deaths have been confirmed: over 41,100 in Turkey, and over 6,600 in Syria. A large winter storm hampered rescue efforts, dropping snow on the ruins and plummeting temperatures. Due to the freezing temperatures in the area, survivors, especially those trapped under rubble, have been at a great risk of hypothermia. Collectively, the earthquakes are estimated to have caused US$84.1 billion worth of damage, ranking them the fourth-costliest earthquakes on record. It is the deadliest natural disaster in Turkey's modern history.

Tectonic setting

See also: Geology of Turkey and Geology of Syria

Geology

Map of the Anatolian Plate, featuring the East Anatolian Fault

The location of the earthquake places it within the vicinity of a triple junction between the Anatolian, Arabian, and African plates. The mechanism and location of the earthquake are consistent with it having occurred in either the East Anatolian Fault zone or the Dead Sea Transform. The East Anatolian Fault accommodates the westward extrusion of Turkey into the Aegean Sea, while the Dead Sea Transform accommodates the northward motion of the Arabian Peninsula, relative to the Africa and Eurasia plates.

The East Anatolian Fault is a 700-kilometre-long (430 mi) northeast–southwest left-lateral transform fault which forms the boundary between the Anatolian and Arabian plates. The fault displays slip rates that decrease from the east at 10 mm (0.39 in) per year to the west, where it is 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) per year. The fault produced large earthquakes in 1789 (M 7.2), 1795 (M 7.0), 1872 (M 7.2), 1874 (M 7.1), 1875 (M 6.7), 1893 (M 7.1), and 2020 (M_w 6.8). These earthquakes ruptured individual segments of the fault. The seismically active Palu and Pütürge segments in the east display a recurrence interval of about 150 years for M 6.8–7.0 earthquakes. The Pazarcık and Amanos segments in the west have recurrence intervals of 237–772 years and 414–917 years, respectively, for M 7.0–7.4 earthquakes. This intracontinental transform fault is the second largest strike-slip fault in Turkey.

Unlike along the North Anatolian Fault which produced 11 large earthquakes during the 20th century, the East Anatolian Fault was seismically quiet. The Palu–Sincik and Çelikhan–Türkoglu segments were identified as seismic gaps. Up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) and 5.2 m (17 ft) of slip have accumulated along the Palu–Sincik and Çelikhan–Türkoglu segments, respectively, since major earthquakes. These segments have accumulated enough strain to produce M_w 7.4 and 7.7 earthquakes. The Palu–Sincik segment measures 135 km (84 mi), consisting of the Palu–Sivrice (50 km (31 mi)) and Sivrice–Sincik (85 km (53 mi)) segments, located between Palu, Elazığ and Sincik. The 1874 and 1875 earthquakes occurred along the Palu–Sincik segment. The Çelikhan–Türkoglu segment runs for 140 km (87 mi); it comprises the Çelikhan–Gölbas (50 km (31 mi)) and Gölbas–Türkoglu (90 km (56 mi)) segments. The last known major earthquake on the Çelikhan–Türkoglu segment occurred in 1513, estimated at magnitude 7.4.

The East Anatolian Fault joins the North Anatolian Fault at the Karlıova Triple Junction in the Karlıova District of Bingöl Province. Approximately 60 km (37 mi) to the southwest was the location of the 2003 Bingöl earthquake which measured M_w  6.4. It did not occur on the East Anatolian Fault; it ruptured a right-lateral strike-slip fault perpendicular to the East Anatolian Fault. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred northeast of Bingöl in 1971; it ruptured 30 km (19 mi) of the East Anatolian Fault and generated surface ruptures.

The Dead Sea Transform extends north–south from the Red Sea to the Marash Triple Junction, where it meets the East Anatolian Fault. The northern part of the left-lateral strike-slip fault, in southern Turkey, was the source of at least 14 large historical earthquakes. It most recently produced two large-magnitude earthquakes in 1822 and 1872. The 1872 earthquake killed at least 1,800 people. Earthquakes in 115, 526, 587, 1170 and 1822 resulted in several tens of thousands to several hundred thousand fatalities.

Seismicity

The region where the 6 February earthquakes occurred is relatively quiet seismologically. Only five earthquakes (1905, 1945, 1986, 1998) of magnitude 6.0 or larger have occurred within 250 km (160 mi) of the 6 February earthquakes, since 1905. The largest of these, a magnitude 6.7, occurred on 24 January 2020, northeast of the first 6 February earthquake. All of these earthquakes occurred along or in the vicinity of the East Anatolian Fault. Despite the relative seismic quiescence of the epicentral area of the 6 February quake, southern Turkey and northern Syria have experienced significant and damaging earthquakes in the past. Aleppo, the second-largest city in Syria, was devastated several times historically by large earthquakes, though the precise locations and magnitudes of these earthquakes can only be estimated. Aleppo was struck by an estimated magnitude 7.1 earthquake in 1138 and an estimated magnitude 7.0 earthquake in 1822. Fatality estimates of the 1822 earthquake were 20,000–60,000. In 1114, the city of Marash suffered an earthquake which killed all of the city's 40,000 inhabitants. Major earthquakes affecting the Middle East in 856, 1033 and 1754 have resulted in 200,000, 70,000 and 40,000 deaths, respectively.

Earthquakes

Epicenter locations of the first and second major earthquakes

M_w 7.8 Şehitkamil, Gaziantep earthquake

Strong ground motion map

Seismogram

The first major earthquake struck at 01:17 UTC. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Global Centroid Moment Tensor (GCMT) measured it at moment magnitude M_ww 7.8 and M_w  7.8, respectively. GEOSCOPE reported a magnitude of M_w 8.0. Kandilli Observatory (KOERI) reported a magnitude of M_w 7.7 and M_L 7.4. It had an epicenter at 37°9′57.6″N 37°1′55.2″E, 34 km (21 mi) west of Gaziantep in Gaziantep Province, which is near the border with Syria. The earthquake hypocenter was at a depth of 17.9 km (11 mi) according to USGS and 5 km (3 mi) according to KOERI. The shock had a focal mechanism corresponding to shallow strike-slip faulting. Rupture occurred on either a northeast–southwest striking and northeast dipping or northeast–southwest striking and northwest dipping fault.

It is one of the strongest ever recorded in Turkey, matching the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, possibly being surpassed only by the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake, and globally the strongest recorded since August 2021.

M_w 7.5 – Ekinözü, Kahramanmaraş earthquake

Strong ground motion map

Seismogram

At 10:24 UTC, an earthquake measuring M_ww 7.5 according to the USGS, M_w 7.6 according to KOERI, or M_w 7.7 according to GEOSCOPE and the GCMT. It had a depth of 13 km (8 mi) according to GEOSCOPE, 5 km (3 mi) by KOERI. It struck with an epicenter at 38.0818°N 37.1773°E / 38.0818; 37.1773 according to KOERI and 38.0235°N 37.203°E / 38.0235; 37.203 according to USGS. It ruptured along an east–west striking, north dipping or north–south striking, east dipping strike-slip fault. It was followed by two additional mb 6.0 aftershocks. Aftershocks of the second earthquake continued through at least 9 Feb.

Foreshock and aftershocks

For a more comprehensive list, see List of foreshocks and aftershocks of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.

A foreshock measuring mb  4.2 struck 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Bahçe, Osmaniye Province, on 3 February.

By 20 February, over 6,000 aftershocks were recorded. An aftershock measuring M_ww 6.7 occurred about 11 minutes after the mainshock. There were 25 aftershocks M_w  4.0 or greater recorded within six hours of the main tremor, according to the USGS. More than 12 hours later, the USGS had reported at least 54 aftershocks of 4.3 or greater magnitude, while the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) recorded at least 120 total aftershocks. A M_ww  6.3 aftershock struck near Uzunbağ in Hatay Province on 20 February; the earthquake was the result of oblique-normal faulting.

A scientist at the Seismology Research Centre in Australia said small-magnitude aftershocks can be expected to continue for a year. However, aftershocks that can cause strong shaking could continue in the days to weeks after the mainshock.

Aftershocks of M_w 5.0 or greater

Date	Time (UTC)	M	MMI	Depth	Ref.
6 February	01:26	5.6	VII	17.0 km (10.6 mi)
6 February	01:28	6.7	VIII	14.5 km (9.0 mi)
6 February	01:36	5.6	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	01:58	5.1	–	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	02:03	5.5	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	02:23	5.2	IV	11.4 km (7.1 mi)
6 February	04:18	5.0	VI	14.5 km (9.0 mi)
6 February	10:24	7.5	X	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	10:26	6.0	VII	20.1 km (12.5 mi)
6 February	10:35	5.8	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	10:51	5.7	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	11:01	5.0	VI	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	11:05	5.2	IV	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	12:02	6.0	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	13:07	5.0	VII	17.1 km (10.6 mi)
6 February	13:39	5.1	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	13:44	5.0	VI	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	15:14	5.3	V	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	15:33	5.2	–	8.8 km (5.5 mi)
6 February	16:43	5.0	VI	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	18:04	5.3	VI	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	20:38	5.3	III	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	20:44	5.0	–	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
6 February	21:58	5.1	II	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
7 February	03:13	5.5	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
7 February	07:11	5.4	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
7 February	10:18	5.4	VII	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
7 February	15:48	5.0	V	8.3 km (5.2 mi)
7 February	18:10	5.3	IV	18.1 km (11.2 mi)
8 February	11:11	5.4	VI	7.5 km (4.7 mi)
8 February	14:20	5.1	VI	5.9 km (3.7 mi)
16 February	19:47	5.2	V	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
18 February	22:31	5.0	III	10.1 km (6.3 mi)
20 February	17:04	6.3	VIII	16.0 km (9.9 mi)
Notes   Magnitude 7.0 or greater   Magnitude 6.0–6.9   Magnitude 5.4–5.9

Seismology

See also: Earthquake rupture

M_w  7.8 finite fault

Distribution of slip across the rupture

Surface projection of finite fault model

M_w  7.7 finite fault

Distribution of slip across the rupture

Surface projection of finite fault model

Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and a University of Washington professor, said the East Anatolian Fault has a long seismic record and was identified as a seismically hazardous area. No earthquakes greater than magnitude 7.0 have been recorded on the fault since the instrumental period. In historic times, however, earthquakes up to magnitude 7.4 occurred. Tobin said the 6 February earthquakes were "larger than what was most likely anticipated". He added that it is not uncommon for rupture on one fault to trigger rupture on another. The 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes in California were produced by rupture along two faults.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake rupture had one of the longest inland strike-slip rupture in the world—comparable to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake which ruptured along the San Andreas Fault. A professor of geophysics at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia said the earthquake may have ruptured over 300 km (190 mi) of fault. It is thought to have ruptured sections of the East Anatolian Fault and Dead Sea Transform. Shinji Toda, a seismologist at Tohoku University, called it the "worst inland shallow earthquake" of the century.

A source model produced by the USGS indicated the M_ww 7.8 earthquake ruptured three fault segments with individual lengths × widths of >40 km (25 mi) × 30 km (19 mi) (Segment 1), >175 km (109 mi) × 30 km (19 mi) (Segment 2) and >160 km (99 mi) × 20 km (12 mi) (Segment 3). The rupture initiated along Segment 1—Segment 1 branches out from Segment 2 in a southwest direction. It propagated northeast along Segment 2 and southwest along Segment 3. The mainshock produced a maximum slip of 11.2 m (37 ft) along Segment 2, beneath Sakarya in Kahramanmaraş Province, northeast of the junction where it meets Segment 1. Another zone of large slip estimated at 4.96 m (16.3 ft) occurred northeast along Segment 2, northwest of Adıyaman.

The M_w 7.7 earthquake which struck nine hours later ruptured three large fault segments. The rupture initiated along Segment 1 and ruptured bilaterally onto Segment 3 located to the east and Segment 2 located to the west. Segment 1 is an east–west striking fault with length × width of >70 km (43 mi) × >20 km (12 mi). Segments 2 strikes east–northeast–west-southwest and Segment 3 strikes northeast–southwest. Segment 2 and Segment 3 has lengths × widths of >40 km (25 mi) × >20 km (12 mi) and ~80 km (50 mi) × >20 km (12 mi), respectively. Maximum displament occurred on Segment 1 at 11.4 m (37 ft).

Faults

A geologist from Middle East Technical University said the first M>7 earthquake may have ruptured multiple segments along the East Anatolian Fault; initiating between the Amanos and Pazarcık segments. Scientists from Istanbul Technical University said five separate faults ruptured during the first earthquake, including the Narli Fault. A professor at the university said although the East Anatolian Fault was the main structure which ruptured, other faults branching away from it also ruptured. A researcher at the California Institute of Technology said a 55 km (34 mi) portion of the East Anatolian Fault between the 2023 and 2020 earthquakes remained unruptured.

The second M>7 earthquake occurred on a separate fault known as the Çardak–Sürgü Fault Zone. within the greater East Anatolian Fault. The fault responsible is not part of the main East Anatolian Fault strand but another east–west trending fault located to the west. Scientist Ross Stein said the earthquake could be considered a "contingent event"; had the previous large earthquake not occur, it likely would not have occurred as well. Coulomb stress transfer from the first earthquake brought the Sürgü and Çardak faults closer to failure, which ruptured during the second earthquake.

Surface rupture

Satellite images captured by Sentinel-1 before and after the earthquakes revealed two zones of surface ruptures produced by the earthquakes. The longer of the pair, produced by the first earthquake, measured 300 km (190 mi) while the second earthquake produced 125 km (78 mi) of surface rupture.

Surface rupture occurred along the East Anatolian Fault. According to AFAD, there was up to 400 km (250 mi) of surface rupture. It extends from north of Antakya, Hatay Province towards Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş Province and Gölbaşı, Adıyaman Province. Surface ruptures continue north of these cities. Field observations indicate a maximum displacement of 7.3 m (24 ft) on the surface. Geologists traced a 15 km (9.3 mi) surface rupture trending south from Pazarcık with an offset of 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). From Golbasi to Nurdağı ground displacements were up to 5 m (16 ft).

Large inland strike-slip earthquakes have occurred in the past. In 1905, two M_w 8.0+ inland earthquakes struck Mongolia, producing a combined 676 km (420 mi) of surface rupture. The sequence began with the Tsetserleg earthquake. The Bulnay earthquake which occurred 14 days later generated about 388 km (241 mi) of surface rupture striking east–west. In 2002, a M_w 7.9 earthquake occurred in Alaska; it ruptured the Denali and Totschunda faults, producing 340 km (210 mi) of surface rupture on both faults. In 1976, a M_w  7.5 earthquake ruptured at least 250 km (160 mi) of the Motagua Fault in Guatemala; the fault represents a boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates.

Ground motion

The maximum Modified Mercalli intensities for the M_w 7.8 and 7.7 earthquakes were estimated at XI and X, respectively. Ground acceleration recorded at some areas near the fault rupture were in excess of 1 g. Three USGS seismic installations, two at Antakya and one at Hassa, recorded large ground accelerations and velocities. The town of Hassa recorded 0.9082 g in ground acceleration (pga) and 215.34 cm/s (84.78 in/s) in ground velocity. The station data corresponded to a Modified Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The peak ground acceleration was 1.62 g recorded by a station at Fevzipaşa.

Geological effects

Major land subsidence occurred in İskenderun, causing the sea to inundate parts of the city by as much as 200 m (660 ft) inland. Subsidence may have been the result of rupture along a splay fault which produced vertical ground displacement. Director of the eCoast Marine Consulting and Research in New Zealand, Jose Borrero, said subsidence of this scale is expected from a large earthquake. Similar instances of subsidence also occurred in Gölcük during the 1999 İzmit earthquake and in Kaikōura during the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. The effects of liquefaction, large waves from bad weather, and a tsunami may have contributed to the effects observed at İskenderun.

Small tsunami waves were recorded off the coast of Famagusta, Cyprus, without damage. The tsunami measured 0.17 m (6.7 in), and tsunami waves were recorded at 0.12 m (4.7 in) at İskenderun and 0.13 m (5.1 in) at Erdemli.

The Civil Protection Department of Italy issued a warning, which was later withdrawn, for potential tsunami on its southern and eatern coasts. The National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics of Egypt issued a tsunami warning for the eastern Mediterranean Sea area, including the Egyptian coast. The warnings were later withdrawn.

Damage and casualties

In Turkey

Casualties by Turkish province (as of 9 February 2023)

Province	Deaths	Injuries
Adana	454	7,450
Adıyaman	3,105	11,778
Batman	0	20
Diyarbakır	414	902
Elazığ	5	379
Gaziantep	3,273	13,325
Hatay	21,000	24,000
Kahramanmaraş	5,323	9,243
Kilis	22	518
Malatya	1,386	7,300
Mardin	1	0
Osmaniye	878	2,224
Şanlıurfa	304	4,663

Turkish provinces significantly affected by the earthquake

There were at least 41,156 deaths and 108,068 injured across the 11 most affected provinces in Turkey (including some casualties also in Elazığ and Batman provinces). At least 13.5 million people and 4 million buildings have been affected. About 345,000 apartments were decimated. Thousands were trapped under rubble when buildings collapsed. Many people remained missing in collapsed buildings. Some of those trapped under rubble livestreamed their pleas for help on social media.

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change conducted damage inspections for 763,000 buildings; at least 41,791 buildings in 10 Turkish provinces were heavily damaged or destroyed, leaving about 150,000 people homeless. A damage assessment by the Turkish government revealed at least 61,722 buildings would have to be demolished including 11,900 in Gaziantep Province, 10,900 in Hatay Province, 10,800 in Kahramanmaraş Province and 6,600 in Malatya Province. The earthquake caused broad fissures on roads. During recovery efforts, body parts were often found in the rubble.

Adana Şakirpaşa Airport was closed due to runway damage. At least 300 buildings were razed in Malatya. The ceiling of Malatya Erhaç Airport experienced a partial collapse, as did the historic Yeni Camii mosque. Damage was also reported at the Arslantepe Mound, with UNESCO saying parts of site museum's temporary roof would have collapsed in several areas and some slips can be observed in some of the adobe walls of the mound.

In Gaziantep, many of the historical sites were severely damaged, such as Gaziantep Castle, Şirvani Mosque and Liberation Mosque. In towns such as Nurdağı, mass graves were created to bury the overwhelming number of dead. Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport was forced to restrict its service to rescue flights. Six train carriages at a maintenance station overturned. Rockslides obstructed a railroad near Fevzipaşa Railway Station.

In Hatay Province, an unknown number of people are trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings. At least 9,224 buildings in the province were partially or totally destroyed. In Antakya about 3,100 buildings were destroyed, and up to 80 percent of the city's buildings needing to be demolished. The districts of Kırıkhan and İskenderun were razed. The runway of Hatay Airport was split and uplifted, leading to flight cancellations. By 12 February, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality completed repairs on the airport, allowing its reopening. Two provincial hospitals and a police station were destroyed, and a gas pipeline exploded. The building that housed the assembly of Hatay State was destroyed, as was St. Paul's Church and the Habib'i Neccar Mosque, while damage was reported at the Antakya Synagogue and the Hatay Archaeology Museum. Several dozen buildings in Güzelburç district and nearly every house in the central and Cebrail districts collapsed. Most of the squad and coaching staff of the local football club Hatayspor were initially trapped in the collapse of their headquarters in Antakya before being rescued, with player Christian Atsu dying and sporting director Taner Savut unaccounted for.

In İskenderun, an industrial city in Hatay Province, a large fire at the port was reported on 6 February at 17:00 local time, believed to have originated from a container carrying flammable industrial oil, forcing the port's closure and the diversion of many ships. It was reported to be extinguished on 6 and 8 February, only for it to reignite the next day each time. It was finally extinguished on 10 February. A total of 3,670 containers were destroyed by the fire and the port managing authority said it would take three months for operations to resume. Flooding occurred along the city shoreline, inundating streets as much as 200 m (660 ft) inland. The Cathedral of the Annunciation, seat of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia, was almost completely destroyed.

Mass burials occurred in Kahramanmaraş for more than 5,000 bodies. A city official said the mass grave would eventually be the burial ground for the 10,000 people killed. The Interior Ministry later confirmed that 941 buildings there had totally collapsed. In Elbistan, Kahramanmaraş Province, near the epicenter of the second earthquake, an estimated 2,000 buildings were destroyed. At Ordekdede, a village in Pazarcik District, almost all single-story buildings were decimated. None of the 140 houses in the village were structually stable. Thirty four people died in the village.

In Adıyaman Province, over 600 buildings collapsed, including Adıyaman's city hall. In Şanlıurfa Province, 19 buildings collapsed.

Diyarbakır Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was also partly destroyed, while damage was also reported in structures at the adjacent World Heritage Site of Hevsel Gardens. In Şanlıurfa, structures around the Pool of Abraham were reported to have been damaged. The minaret at the religious shrine partially collapsed, sending rubble into the pools below and discoloring the water, which was also said to have been contaminated by sewage.

In Batman Province, twenty people were injured, one of them seriously, 218 buildings were damaged, and an additional fifteen were completely destroyed. In Kızıltepe District, Mardin Province, a woman died of a heart attack upon experiencing the quake. In Bingöl Province, several houses cracked and some livestock were killed by collapsing barns. In Samsun, damage occurred in Samsun Stadium.

An unoccupied apartment building was damaged, and later collapsed after the major M_w 7.7 aftershock in Elazığ. Three Turkish soldiers also died during rescue operations.

Those confirmed deceased included member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for Adıyaman Yakup Taş, Yeni Malatyaspor goalkeeper Ahmet Eyüp Türkaslan, who was killed by rubble from a collapsed building, former Turkish national handball team player Cemal Kütahya, who died along with his five-year-old son in the rubble of Rönesans Rezidans in Antakya, and Saul Cenudioğlu, leader of the Jewish community in Antakya, who died along with his wife. Former MP for Kahramanmaraş Sıtkı Güvenç died from earthquake injuries on 9 February.

• 
  The wreckage of a collapsed building, Galeria Business Center, Diyarbakır, Turkey
• 
  Bodies at the Training and Research Hospital in Adıyaman, Turkey
• 
  Satellite view of the destruction in Antakya
• 
  Rescue workers in Osmaniye, Turkey

Damage assessment statistics by province

Province	Type	Heavily damaged or destroyed	Moderately damaged	Slightly damaged	Undamaged	Total	Buildings surveyed
Adana	Building	59	304	1,688	5,313	7,364	7,724
	Independent Unit	1,274	7,270	38,261	78,040	124,845	127,269
Adıyaman	Building	6,990	2,613	11,694	9,310	30,607	34,578
	Independent Unit	29,703	11,179	38,823	21,365	101,070	115,046
Diyarbakır	Building	643	718	6,725	18,039	26,125	28,969
	Independent Unit	6,932	10,095	86,925	178,216	282,168	294,814
Elâzığ	Building	664	138	1,460	723	2,985	3,114
	Independent Unit	4,043	801	15,532	9,503	29,879	30,703
Gaziantep	Building	12,964	4,361	29,471	89,092	135,888	156,482
	Independent Unit	31,522	17,050	179,149	309,389	537,110	586,628
Hatay	Building	15,248	2,827	17,212	29,188	64,475	68,116
	Independent Unit	71,735	18,146	62,034	74,851	226,766	239,142
Kahramanmaraş	Building	12,980	1,058	20,556	25,420	60,014	69,577
	Independent Unit	60,051	7,671	99,481	61,932	229,135	258,523
Kilis	Building	812	137	2,208	2,849	6,006	6,608
	Independent Unit	1,224	1,033	16,296	12,228	30,781	31,904
Malatya	Building	8,365	945	8,960	7,463	25,733	32,344
	Independent Unit	44,996	6,617	59,825	31,894	143,332	174,293
Osmaniye	Building	2,531	266	8,034	22,041	32,872	34,797
	Independent Unit	9,595	2,104	40,929	51,409	104,037	108,162
Şanlıurfa	Building	466	550	13,507	19,585	34,108	39,557
	Independent Unit	2,725	4,707	112,399	86,896	206,727	229,605

In Syria

Over 6,689 people were killed, and over 14,500 were injured in Syria. The Syrian Ministry of Health has recorded over 2,221 earthquake-related deaths and 2,950 injuries in government held areas, most of which were in the provinces of Aleppo and Latakia. In rebel-held areas, at least 4,468 people have died, and 2,200 others been injured. It was estimated that up to 5.37 million people across Syria might have been made homeless, while a total of 10.9 million people, nearly half of the country's population, were affected.

File:Rescuers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in Hama, Syria.jpg

Rescuers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in Hama, Syria on 6 February 2023.

Hundreds were killed in the towns of Jindires and Atarib. In Jableh, at least 283 people died, 173 were injured and 19 buildings collapsed. Four bodies were recovered and 15 bodies were in the process of recovery during debris clearance on 10 February. On 11 February, six bodies were retrieved from the rubble of a collapsed house along al-Maliyeh Street, Jableh. In the village of Atme, 11 people died and many residents were buried. Civilians were stuck under the rubble for hours due to the lack of rescue teams in several villages such as Atarib, Besnia, Jindires, Maland, Salqin and Sarmada. In Latakia Governorate, 142,000 people were affected; at least 805 people died and 1,131 others were injured. The region's governor said 103 buildings were destroyed and 247 were at risk of collapse. At Tishreen University, 10 students, 3 employees and a professor died. At least 48 people were killed in Hama—43 deaths occurred when an eight-story building collapsed, which also caused 75 injuries and trapped 125 people.

The Associated Press, citing local residents, reported that the Afrin Dam suffered cracks. On 9 February at 04:00, the dam burst and flooded the village of Al-Tloul, which was exacerbated by heavy rains along the Afrin River basin. Almost all of its residents were forced to leave the village; about 500 families were displaced. According to Reuters, citing local residents, between 35 and 40 people died and most buildings in Al-Tloul were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. In Atarib, 148 bodies arrived at an underground hospital. A doctor at the hospital said some bodies were missing their head or limbs. Various archaeological sites in Tartus Governorate were damaged, including the Margat Castle, Khawabi Castle and Aleika Castle, which partially collapsed. Damage to historical towers and infrastructure were also reported in Tartous and Safita.

The president of the Syrian American Medical Society, Amjad Rass, said emergency rooms were packed with injured. In Idlib Governorate, one hospital received 30 bodies. In the village of Azmarin, Idlib Governorate, at least 260 people died, including 51 members of one family; at least 300 were injured and 100 were rescued. Fifteen buildings in the village were leveled and about 50 percent of its housing stock had cracks. Footballer Nader Joukhadar, who played for the national team, was killed alongside his son when their home collapsed in Jableh.

According to the International Rescue Committee, the earthquake struck when rebel-held areas were preparing for a blizzard and experiencing a cholera outbreak. In Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, dozens of buildings collapsed and at least 444 people died, including 163 children. By 6 February, the bodies of 210 victims were returned to their families. The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums said various archeological sites across the city were extensively cracked or collapsed. Cracks were also reported in the outer façade of the Aleppo National Museum. In Atarib, Aleppo, the Syrian American Medical Society hospital said 120 bodies were recovered. About 20,000 homes were affected in Aleppo, putting 70,000 people without homes. In Rajo, a prison facility experienced cracked walls and doors. At least 20 prisoners, believed to be Daesh (ISIS) members, escaped the facility.

In Damascus, many people fled from their homes onto the streets. In the northern parts of the city, many buildings sustained cracks. Many buildings in Syria had already been damaged by an almost 12-year-long civil war. The Crusader-built castle Margat suffered damage, with part of a tower and parts of some walls collapsing. Cracks also opened up in the walls of the famed Krak des Chevaliers castle. The Citadel of Aleppo was also affected. A total of 490 adobe buildings had partially or fully collapsed, while thousands of others were damaged in northwestern Syria. The minaret of the Grand Mosque in Kobanî was also damaged. In Jindires, at least 250 buildings were razed; among the deaths were a family of 7—the only survivor was a newborn. The minister of education said at least 453 schools across the region were damaged. There had been many incidents in this whole ongoing natural disaster such as a Syrian mother and her newborn baby were rescued in rubble of the earthquake that hit home twice in a week according to the news published by BBC News on 16 February.

Foreign casualties

Foreign casualties by country

Country	Deaths in		Ref.
Syria	3,700
Afghanistan	116	—
Palestine	54	51
Northern Cyprus	29	—
Yemen	29	—
Morocco	19	—
Lebanon	16	3
Iraq	11	—
Azerbaijan	10	—
Armenia	9	2
Italy	7	—
Philippines	6	—
Georgia	5	—
Ukraine	5	—
France	4	—
Indonesia	4	—
Uzbekistan	4	—
Australia	3	—
Iran	3	—
Moldova	3	—
Netherlands	3	—
United States	3	—
Algeria	2	—
Austria	2	—
Egypt	2	—
Greece	2	—
Kazakhstan	2	—
Belgium	1	—
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1	—
Bulgaria	1	—
Cameroon	1	—
Canada	1	—
Colombia	1	—
Czech Republic	1	—
Ghana	1	–
India	1	—
Jordan	1	—
Kyrgyzstan	1	—
Russia	1	—
Saudi Arabia	1	—
Serbia	1	—
Sri Lanka	1	—
Sudan	1	—
Thailand	1	—
Uganda	1	—

At least 3,700 Syrians residing in Turkey were killed. According to Turkey's Presidency of Migration Management 1.75 million Syrians live in southern Turkey; 460,150 in Gaziantep; 354,000 in Antakya; 368,000 in Şanlıurfa; 250,000 in Adana. As of 19 February, Turkey's health ministry returned the bodies of 1,787 Syrian victims to their relatives in Syria. At least 11 Iraqis who took refuge in Turkey from the war in Iraq also died in Turkey.

At least 116 Afghan citizens were killed in Turkey. Most of these Afghans were refugees who fled the country after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. One hundred and five Palestinians were killed, 51 of whom in Syria and 54 in Turkey. Among the deaths of Armenians was an entire family of three in Malatya. Sixteen Lebanese citizens died in Turkey and three others died in Syria. Ten Azerbaijanis were killed in Turkey, including four students in Malatya. An Italian family of six, and an entrepreneur also perished. Nineteen students, two teachers and a parent from Northern Cyprus died when a hotel in Adiyaman collapsed. Seven other Turkish Cypriots died in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş.

Effects in other countries

In Lebanon, residents were awakened from their sleep. Buildings in the country shook for up to 40 seconds. In Beirut, residents fled their homes and stayed in streets or drove in their vehicles to flee from buildings. Overall, the earthquake's impact on Lebanon was limited, with some buildings damaged in the cities of Tripoli, Miniyeh, El Mina, and Bourj Hammoud, and one house collapsed in Rashaya.

In Ashdod, Israel, a building was evacuated after cracks were observed on a pillar. In Nicosia, Cyprus, some windows cracked, and the wall of a house collapsed, damaging two nearby vehicles.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said shaking was felt in Armenia, Egypt, Palestine, Georgia, Greece, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Russia. In Iraq, fans, frames and other hanging objects were heavily shaking. There, many residents stayed outdoors while waiting for an announcement that it was safe to return to their homes. An aftershock hit hours later, causing buildings to be evacuated. No deaths or injuries have been reported, however, minor damage was reported to some houses and buildings in Erbil, and the city's citadel was severely damaged. In Egypt, tremors were strongly felt in the capital Cairo, and is considered the strongest earthquake to be felt there since 1975. A 20 m (66 ft) crack appeared in the Corniche in Alexandria.

20 February aftershock

On 20 February, a M_ww  6.3 aftershock struck near Antakya, causing additional buildings to collapse in Samandağ and further damage in Antakya. Eight people died; deaths were reported in Antakya, Defne and Samandağ, and two died in Syria's Hama and Tartus governates. At least 294 were injured including 18 in serious condition who received immediate medical attention before being taken to Adana and Dörtyol. AFAD warned residents to stay away from the coast as there was potential for a tsunami of up to 50 cm (20 in). The mayor of Hatay said several people were trapped under debris. Among the structures damaged in Turkey included a bridge and an empty three-story building in İskenderun that collapsed. In Syria, at least 130 people were injured. The White Helmets said people in Aleppo and Idlib were injured by collapsed buildings. Some residents in Jinderis were injured after leaping off buildings. In northwestern Syria, damaged and abandoned buildings collapsed without casualties. Shaking was felt in Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.

Estimations of losses

The USGS Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) service estimated a 35 percent probability of economic losses between US$10 billion and US$100 billion. There was a 34 percent probability of economic losses exceeding US$100 billion. The service estimated a 36 percent probability of deaths between 10,000 and 100,000; 26 percent probability of deaths exceeding 100,000. For the second large earthquake, there was a 46 percent probability of deaths between 1,000 and 10,000; 30 percent probability of deaths between 100 and 1,000. The service also estimated a 35 percent percent probability of economic losses between US$1 billion and US$10 billion; 27 percent probability of economic losses between US$10 billion and US$100 billion.

Risklayer estimated a death toll of between 23,284 and 105,671. According to geophysics professor, Övgün Ahmet Ercan, "180,000 people or more may be trapped under the rubble, nearly all of them dead." On 11 February, when the death toll was reported at about 28,000, United Nations emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said the death toll was expected to "more than double". The World Health Organization said up to 26 million people may have been affected; 15 million in Turkey and 11 million in Syria.

Shortly after the earthquakes the Turkish lira value struck a record low of 18.85 against the US dollar, but rebounded to its starting position at the end of the day. Turkish stock markets fell; main equities benchmark fell as much as 5 percent and banks fell 5.5 percent but recovered from the losses. The country's main stock market dropped 1.35 percent on 6 February. The Borsa Istanbul fell 8.6 percent on 7 February, and declined by more than 7 percent on the morning of 8 February before trading was suspended; the exchange then announced it would close for five days. Total costs of the earthquake damage was estimated by the TÜRKONFED organization to be $84.1 billion US dollars; $70.75 billion on rebuilding, $10.4 billion loss in national income, and an additional $2.91 billion loss in workforce. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said potential losses of up to 1 percent of Turkey's GDP in 2023 could result. About half of residential property in the affected area is thought to be covered by Compulsory Earthquake Insurance.

Aftermath in Turkey

See also: Architecture of Turkey § Earthquakes

Rescue work at the destroyed Galeria Business Center in Diyarbakır. One of the buildings in the background later collapsed following an aftershock.

Several tens of thousands of people across the region were left homeless and spent the night in cold weather. Officials plan to open hotels in Antalya, Alanya and Mersin to temporarily accommodate the affected population. Authorities were slammed by residents in Hatay Province, who criticized the insufficient search and rescue efforts. Hatay Airport's runway was heavily damaged, making rescue efforts challenging. On 7 February, authorities said 1,846 people in the province have been rescued.

Ukrainian search and rescue team in Hatay

Mosques in Turkey were used as shelters for people unable to return to their homes amid freezing temperatures. In Gaziantep, people sought refuge in shopping malls, stadiums, community centers, and mosques. Nearly 250,000 displaced persons resided in schools across Malatya Province. At least 24 mobile kitchens from vocational schools in the province were distributed across the affected areas.

Several Turkish humanitarian institutions such as Ahbap from Haluk Levent, the Turkish Philanthropy Funds (US-based), and Turkish Red Crescent (besides other IFRC members around the world) also launched emergency appeals to help the victims.

Turkish Airlines said it would provide free flights from the provinces of Adana, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Malatya, Elazığ and Kahramanmaraş. The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority opened an invitation for citizen volunteers to help with rescue efforts in the affected area. Thousands of volunteers arrived at Istanbul Airport. Bilal Ekşi, CEO of Turkish Airlines, said it has flown 11,780 volunteers on 80 flights to Adana, Gaziantep, Adiyaman and Şanlıurfa. Pegasus Airlines said it evacuated 30,771 people from the affected area on 169 flights between 6 and 9 February. Between 6 and 11 February, Turkish Airlines said it evacuated 139,438 people from the affected area on 790 flights. It carried 78,33 members of search and rescue and aid groups to the affected area on 1,595 flights.

President's national mourning decision

Search and rescue

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Twitter, "search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched" to the affected area. Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu urged residents to refrain from entering damaged buildings. On 7 February, President Erdoğan declared a 3-month state of emergency in the 10 affected provinces: Adana, Hatay, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Kilis, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Malatya and Diyarbakır.

The national government declared a level four alert to appeal for international aid. According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, 25,000 search and rescue personnel were dispatched to the 10 affected provinces. At least 70 countries offered to help in search and rescue operations.

Emergency services in Turkey rushed to search for survivors trapped under many collapsed buildings. By 8 February, more than 8,000 people were rescued from rubble across 10 provinces. About 380,000 people individuals have taken refuge at relief shelters or hotels.

An "air aid corridor" was established by the Turkish Armed Forces to mobilize search and rescue teams. Many military aircraft including an Airbus A400M and C-130 Hercules planes transported search and rescue teams and vehicles to the area. Food, blankets and psychological teams were also sent. Turkey sent an official request to NATO and allies for assistance.

Over 53,000 Turkish emergency workers were deployed to the regions affected from the earthquakes. A team of 90 miners from Soma arrived at Osmaniye to provide assistance. The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality also sent dozens of vehicles and equipment.

Poor weather conditions including snow, rain and freezing temperatures disrupted search and rescue efforts undertaken by rescue workers and civilians. Rescuers and volunteers wore winter clothing while searching for survivors. Damaged roads also slowed down aid delivery.

On 8 February, Erdoğan visited the town of Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş Province and Hatay Province. He acknowledged "shortcomings" in the response to the earthquake, but denied that there was an insufficient number of personnel involved in rescue operations. He also described people saying they hadn't seen security forces at all in some areas as "provocateurs".

AFAD announced on 19 February that search and rescue efforts in most of the affected provinces had ceased. The chairperson of AFAD, Yunus Sezer, said efforts would largely be discontinued by the night of 19 February. Operations were still ongoing for 40 buildings in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay provinces by 19 February.

Government assistance

The government said it would pay compensation to those who have lost their homes. President Erdoğan said ₺15,000 in relocation assistance per household would be given to those whose homes were moderate, heavy or total destruction. Rent assistance of up to ₺5,000 would be given to homeowners and ₺2,000 to tenants.

On 9 February, after touring the city of Gaziantep, Erdoğan promised to rebuild destroyed homes of survivors within one year. He also said the government is working on temporary accommodation for those made homeless. That same day, force majeure was imposed in the affected region and tax obligations between 6 February and 31 July 2023, were postponed until 31 July 2023.

On 10 February, while touring Adıyaman Province, President Erdoğan reiterated the promise to rebuild all homes within one year, and added that the government will subsidize rents for those unwilling to stay in tents. He later added that more than 141,000 rescue personnel, including foreign teams, were working in the 10 affected provinces, that 100 billion lira (US$5.3 billion) were allocated to the disaster response.

AFAD issued a statement on 16 February, detailing that 387,000 tents had been established in the affected area by local and international organizations. President Erdoğan said 890,000 survivors were placed in dormitories and 50,000 in hotels. He added that 1.6 million people had access to shelter. The Governor of Şırnak, Osman Bilgin, said the district would be demolished and reconstructed.

Incidents

In the morning of 7 February, Turkey accused YPG of having overseen an MRL attack on its border checkpoint, and that the Turkish army has responded with further attacks. The Kurdish Red Crescent and Kamal Sido from the Society for Threatened Peoples later accused Turkey of airstrikes against the Kurdish population around Tell Rifaat also after the earthquake. Sido demanded from Turkey to open the borders to Syria for humanitarian aid just as they were open for Islamists.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) declared a ceasefire in its conflict with Turkey. Co-founder of the PKK, Cemîl Bayik, said "thousands of our people are under the rubble" and pushed for the focus on recovery efforts. He requested for all groups engaged to stop military actions and added that the PKK would not be engaged "as long as the Turkish state does not attack".

Turkish police on 7 February said they had detained four people over "provocative posts aiming to create fear and panic" on social media following the earthquake. It added that a wider investigation into social media accounts was ongoing, but offered no information on the content of the posts. The number of detentions increased to a dozen on 8 February. Following reports of property being ransacked by looters, authorities arrested 98 people for robbery or defrauding victims. Syrians have faced increased discrimination in the country, with some Turks blaming them for the looting.

On 9 February, three inmates were killed and 12 more injured after soldiers opened fire during a prison riot in Hatay. The prisoners were demanding to see their families affected by the earthquake.

On 11 February, German and Austrian rescuers deployed to Hatay suspended operations, citing a worsening security situation due to the slow arrival of aid or sporadic clashes between armed groups. The teams later resumed operations when the Turkish Land Forces provided protection. On 12 February, rescuers from the Israeli search-and-rescue group United Hatzalah left Turkey, citing "intelligence of a concrete and immediate threat on the Israeli delegation".

On 17 February, a Syrian family of seven, including five children, were killed during a fire that struck a home in Nurdağı, Turkey, in which they moved to after surviving the earthquake. Seven other people were injured during the fire.

2023 elections

Further information: 2023 Turkish presidential election and 2023 Turkish general election

Before the earthquake, the government had planned the elections to be held on 14 May 2023, a month earlier than its latest possible date as a snap election. After the earthquake, doubts arose if elections could be held on schedule. On 13 February, Bülent Arınç of the AKP demanded the elections be postponed despite the constitution disallowing such a possibility in the absence of war. Arınç's declaration has been criticized by media outlets and politicians. It remains to be seen whether the governing coalition, with its 333 seats in parliament, can surpass the 400-number hurdle needed to pass such proposals by changing the constitution. On 18 February AKP authorities stated that the elections will not be delayed.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the CHP opposed its postponement on constitutional grounds. Mustafa Tolga Öztürk, YSK member of the İYİ party stated that YSK does not have any power to postpone an election and only parliament has the right to do so, adding that Turkey had no more time to lose with the AKP. Selahattin Demirtas of the Peoples Democratic Party has described the postponement as a political coup. The declaration of state of emergency in the affected regions was also interpreted as a possible measure to postpone elections. Nevertheless, the earthquake led to the main anti-Erdoğan coalition postponing its 13 February meeting for the selection of its consensus presidential candidate.

Education

On 9 February, the Council of Higher Education said education and training at universities in the affected provinces would be suspended until further notice. Student hostels managed by the General Directorate of Higher Education Credit and Hostels would be used to house affected individuals. The minister of national education, Mahmut Özer, ordered a week-long closure of all schools in the country, which was later extended to two weeks. Schools in the affected provinces were suspended until 10 March. Students studying in schools located in the affected provinces would be transferred to other provinces of their choice.

Sports

After the earthquake, Süper Lig was suspended for over a week to mourn the victims. Clubs from affected regions: Süper Lig clubs Hatayspor, Gaziantep FK, TFF First League club Yeni Malatyaspor, Adanaspor, TFF Second League club Adıyaman FK, Diyarbekirspor and TFF Third League clubs Kahramanmaraşspor, Osmaniyespor and Malatya Arguvan SK withdrew from competition. Sivas Belediyespor, Tarsus İdman Yurdu and Niğde Anadolu requested to withdraw but TFF did not approve their requests.

On 6 February, it was announced the 2023 ISF World School Winter Games, which were due to be held in Erzurum, were canceled due to the ‘force majeure’ situation in the country. On 10 February, it was announced the 2023 Men's EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup was canceled due to the impact of the earthquake. The tournament was intended to be held from 17 to 19 February in Alanya. In an official statement, Minister of Youth and Sports Mehmet Kasapoğlu announced that every national championship would be suspended with immediate effect, until further communications.

Three players from Iran's national football team for the disabled died in Turkey. Hatayspor's Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu died in the collapse of Rönesans Rezidans in Antakya. His body was found on the morning of 18 February. Atsu was a former Chelsea, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Everton player. He died when the building he resided in collapsed.

Aftermath in Syria

See also: Foreign aid to Syria and Humanitarian response to the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake § Insufficient aid to affected areas in Syria

Syrian media reported a large number of buildings collapsing in the northern Aleppo Governorate, as well as several in the city of Hama. In Damascus, many people fled from their homes onto the streets. Syria's National Earthquake Centre said the earthquake is "the biggest earthquake recorded" in its operational history. According to SANA, the state news agency, President Bashar al-Assad held an emergency meeting with his cabinet to organize a rescue plan for the most hit regions. Following orders from President al-Assad, all teams of the civil defense, firefighting, health, and public construction groups were mobilized to Aleppo.

The Syrian government appealed to UN member states, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other humanitarian organizations for international aid. Syria also requested for aid from the European Union's European Civil Protection Mechanism, according to commissioner Janez Lenarčič. The Syrian government, through its representative in the United Nations, said that it should be responsible for aid distribution in all areas of the country, including those held by the rebels. The UK government said it would deliver aid through its long-term partners, the White Helmets civilian defense force. The US State Department said it would use its humanitarian partners on the ground.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said damaged roads and logistical issues prevented the mobilization of international aid across the border from Turkey. Border crossings into Turkey remained closed on 7 February. Critically injured patients were unable to enter Turkey for medical attention. There were exceptions as to which persons could cross, including individuals holding touristic residence permits who could only cross by foot. The Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing was made accessible on 8 February, according to the UN.

Some hotels including in Latakia and Damascus offered to accommodate to survivors free of charge and ensure basic necessities. Refugees and expatriates also opened their homes as shelters for people. Al-Sham Private University started an effort to receive people. Sports facilities, events venues, university dormitories and halls were also opened to take in people. The Syria Trust for Development announced the establishment of shelters across many governorates. Volunteer groups inspected buildings for damage and distributed food items, blankets, and first aid essentials.

Due to the high number of casualties, including trauma cases, many hospitals became overcrowded. Hospitals were already experiencing a shortage of medical supplies prior to the earthquake. Hospitals in many cities were forced to operate far beyond capacity. Many patients at hospitals slept on floors due to the lack of beds. The Ministry of Health dispatched medical convoys from the Health Directorates of Damascus, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Quneitra, Homs, and Tartus, to Aleppo and Latakia to rebel-held areas. Twenty-eight ambulances, seven mobile clinics, and four trucks carrying medical, surgical and emergency aid were also dispatched. Local charities across the country, which typically distribute food during the month of Ramadan, have been exhausted to their fullest capacity. One of these charities, Saed Initiative, planned to establish a charity kitchen to provide free meals for the rest of the year. Between 2,500 and 4,000 meals were distributed every day in Aleppo, and the charity plans to distribute up to 40,000 meals every day. Another charity in the city, the al-Bir and al-Ihsan charity, provided 1,500 meals every day.

Over 2,000 Syria Civil Defense (White Helmets) volunteers were sent to all the affected areas to conduct search and rescue efforts. With a lack of equipment and tools, they appealed to other humanitarian organizations for support. Officials on 7 February announced rescue and recovery efforts in Hama ended after 15 hours. Over 298,000 people were left without homes and 180 shelters were opened in government-held areas. About 30,000 people were housed in shelters in Aleppo. As of 10 February, no international rescue workers had arrived in rebel-held Jinderis despite official calls for help.

United States sanctions against Syria relating to the blocking of banks and payment processors led to the banning of international charities and families attempting to send money to people affected in Syria. On 7 February 2023, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent urged Western countries to lift sanctions against Syria, saying the measures hurt civilians and humanitarian efforts during the earthquake recovery effort. The sanctions are a series of economic measures taken by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and the Arab League from the start of the civil war in 2011. They include an oil embargo and the freezing of financial assets of the state and government officials. There were requests to lift or suspend the sanctions to aid humanitarian efforts following the earthquake. On 10 February, the United States announced it would exempt sanctions against Syria for 180 days. The ease of sanctions was for "all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts", according to the United States Department of the Treasury. The Syrian Ministry responded in a statement that the US’ decision was "misleading and aims to give a false humanitarian impression" and that "the facts on the ground proved its falsehood." Some commentators have argued that the sanctions do not pose a problem for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria.

International humanitarian assistance began entering northwestern Syria on 9 February via Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing. The first convoy of six trucks carried tents and sanitary items. Turkey said it was working to open two additional border crossings. On 10 February, 14 trucks carrying aid crossed from Turkey into Syria, according to the United Nations. The United States Central Command announced it would cooperate with Syrian Democratic Forces to assist the affected population in Syria. On 11 February, World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited Aleppo, accompanying a shipment of emergency medical supplies. On 12 February, all schools across Syria, except for those in the affected areas, were resumed since the earthquakes struck. Schools in Aleppo, Lattakia, Hama and Idleb remained closed. On 14 February, the Syrian government agreed to open the border crossings at Bab al-Salam and al Raée for three months.

International humanitarian efforts

Countries

Collections of donations by Singaporeans for the earthquake victims bound for Turkey

Airlift by Indian Air Force consist of NDRF volunteers and equipments for rescue operations under Operation Dost

Condolences and sympathy expressed by Indonesian citizens with some flower arrangements in front of the Turkish embassy

This paragraph is an excerpt from Humanitarian response to the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.[edit]

Various countries and organizations have responded to the earthquake. At least 105 countries and 16 international organizations had pledged support for victims of the earthquake, including humanitarian aid. More than eleven countries provided teams with search and rescue dogs to locate victims under the debris and monetary support was offered as well.

Arab League

Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for international assistance to help those affected by "this humanitarian catastrophe".

ASEAN

The Secretariat of ASEAN expressed its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Governments and peoples of the affected countries, especially the families of the victims of the earthquake. ASEAN affirms its solidarity with the Governments and peoples of Turkey and Syria in these trying times and stands ready to extend its assistance to the relief efforts.

EU response on the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)

European Union (EU)

President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen expressed their condolences to those who lost their lives due to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Michel and Leyen announced that the EU is ready for earthquake aid in Turkey and Syria. The European Union's European Civil Protection Mechanism, in which Turkey participates despite not being a member of the EU, was activated at the request of Turkey. The EU dispatched thirty-one rescue teams and five medical teams from 23 member states to Turkey, committed €3 million and €3.5 million to Turkey and Syria respectively, and announced a donor conference to raise money. The Copernicus Programme was also activated to provide emergency mapping services and other help.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said that member countries were mobilizing support. The Strategic Airlift Capability was used to transport search and rescue equipment. NATO deployed "fully equipped semi-permanent shelter facilities" to house displaced persons in Turkey. Flags at NATO headquarters were also lowered to half-mast. A vessel carrying the first 600 of 1,000 containers for temporary housing left Taranto, Italy for Turkey to accommodate at least 4,000 people.

United Nations (UN)

Several United Nations agencies announced coordinated responses to the disaster, including UNDAC, OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM. The World Health Organization's Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said the organization's regional offices were assisting international efforts to transport medicine and relief equipment. The UN released $25 million from its emergency fund for humanitarian assistance in Turkey and Syria. A second $25 million grant was released for relief efforts in Syria. UN sent humanitarian aid to Syria through Turkey via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. Since then, 65 trucks have crossed, carrying health and nutrition items and other vital relief supplies for more than two million people. On 14 February, the UN appealed for €396 million to help survivors in Syria.

World Bank

The World Bank said it would provide US$1.78 billion in aid for Turkey to support the relief and recovery process. "We are providing immediate assistance and preparing a rapid assessment of the urgent and massive needs on the ground," said World Bank President David Malpass.

Reactions

Criticism of the Turkish government

See also: Construction amnesty and Seismic code

Destroyed buildings in Hatay

The Turkish Government was criticized on social media for allegedly trying to cover up the fact that there were not 2, but 3 mainshocks above M_w 7. However, professor Hasan Sözbilir, Director of Dokuz Eylül University (DEU) Earthquake Research and Application Center, told Anadolu Agency that there were only 2 mainshocks reaching above M_w 7 between 6 and 17 February 2023, but of the smaller quakes, there was one that reached M_w 6.7. Additional allegations have been made when the death toll in Turkey was at 41,000 that the death toll could in fact be up to five times higher than offical figures. Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is accused of manipulating the death toll of the earthquakes to mask the scale of the disaster amid growing criticism due to what many say was a delayed and ineffective response to the tragedy.

The collapse of many newly constructed buildings during the earthquakes caused public anger and doubts about the Turkish construction and contracting industry following seismic codes. After the destructive İzmit earthquake of 1999, new building codes were passed to make buildings more resilient to earthquakes. The quality of the concrete is often a source of collapse, especially in older buildings, but in some cases the engineering and design of newer high rise buildings, and improper placement of support columns and beams, may have contributed to collapse. The building codes, last updated in 2018, have requirements for engineering design and construction quality as well as material quality. There have long been complaints that the building codes are weakly enforced.

After the earthquake, Erdoğan had claimed that "98% of the destroyed buildings were built in before 1999" and described it "as the indicator of an improvement in the quality of building codes and enforcement". Erdoğan's claim was criticized by civil engineer and earthquake engineering academic Haluk Sucuoğlu, stating that field observations and more than half of the buildings in earthquake effected areas being built after 2000 making the Erdoğan's 98% figure unlikely, though accepting that concrete data on the destroyed buildings do not exist yet. The comparison of the historical satellite images with the ones taken after the earthquake, especially of those showing the destruction in the newly built area of Western Maraş, were used to dispute Erdoğan's claim.

In Adıyaman, the minister of transport and infrastructure, Adil Karaismailoğlu, and the governor, Mahmut Çuhadar, were met with protests by the local population and the state car of the governor was kicked by the protesters during their departure. The leader of the opposition in Parliament, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the CHP, pinned responsibility for the scale of the disaster on President Erdoğan. He demanded from the CHP mayors not to back down from providing breads and blankets to the ones in need and to not accept a bureaucratic blocking as they did during the COVID-19 lockdown. It has also been reported that several of the donations from other relief organizations arriving at the Adana airport were relabeled as assistance by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) or also the governing AKP. Questions also arose as to how an "earthquake tax" (officially "special communications tax") levied by the Turkish government in the wake of the 1999 earthquake, estimated to have reached 88bn lira ($4.6bn; £3.8bn) and meant to have been spent on disaster prevention and the development of emergency services, was being spent, given how the government has never given a public explanation.

Turkish engineers had previously warned that cities could become 'graveyards' with building amnesty. Critics of President Erdoğan said contractors of housing projects were allowed to skip vital safety mandates which put residents at risk. Videos from several years ago showed President Erdoğan applauding housing projects which eventually collapsed. During a campaign stop in anticipation of the March 2019 local elections, he listed, among his government's top attainment, new housing in Kahramanmaras. President Erdoğan said "We solved the problem of 144,156 citizens of Maras with zoning amnesty," In another video, he said "We have solved the problems of 205,000 citizens of Hatay with zoning peace,"

Before the 2018 general election, 3.1 million buildings were granted amnesty certificates, according to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Assistant and city planner, Bugra Gokce. In the ten affected provinces, 294,165 certificates were granted; 59,247 in Adana; 10,629 in Adıyaman; 14,719 in Diyarbakır; 40,224 in Gaziantep; 56,464 in Hatay; 39,58 in Kahramanmaraş; 4,897 in Kilis; 22,299 in Malatya; 21,107 in Osmaniye; and 25,521 in Şanlıurfa. After a destructive earthquake struck İzmir in 2020, Asia Times said the Turkish government generated US$2 billion in profit since the latest zoning amnesty law was approved in May 2018. During that earthquake, there were 811,000 certificates linked to illegal construction in İzmir.

Disaster management

Damaged buildings in Hatay province

AFAD, the state organ for the disaster relief, has been criticized on the grounds of claimed slowness during the first days of the earthquake. Many people reportedly unsuccessfully attempted to get into contact with the AFAD. Emergency management academic Kubilay Kaptan has stated that the delayed reaction of AFAD was mainly caused by the increasing centralization of Turkish emergency response agencies under the current government. According to Kaptan numerous relief agencies had been merged into AFAD in the past years and since the implementation of the referendum AFAD had become part of the Ministry of Interior, losing its autonomy and self-governance. According to Kaptan the Ministry of Interior making the decisions hindered a fast relief response since the organization needs to get an approval for its actions, contrasting more independent agencies like FEMA in the United States. AFAD has also been criticized on the claims of inappropriate board of management, since some members of the board do not have any disaster management background. İsmail Palakoğlu, the general manager of disaster response subdivision of AFAD, is a theologian who previously worked at the Directorate of Religious Affairs; he was criticized by several politicians and media outlets.

Another criticism was the very late deployment of military resources. They were not mobilized for two days after the earthquake, and even then in what many considered in very modest amounts. Typically, in the past, local commanders were authorized to go into action unilaterally in the face of such a natural disaster until the current government changed the regulations. There have been many reported instances where aid was forced to go through local governors, who are not elected but appointed by the government. Sometimes they were forced to go through specific organizations preferred by the ruling party. There were reports of aid trucks being stopped and not let through unless ruling party placards and signs were put on them, even stickers of the president being placed on individual aid packages. On 16 February the district governor and accompanied by the gendarmerie seized all aid that was stored at the aid distribution center established jointly by the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Hasankoca Neighborhood Assistance and Solidarity Association in presence of the head of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Industry arguing they can not distribute aid independently.

On 9 February 2023, the governing alliance between the MHP and the AKP approved a state of emergency in 10 provinces effected by the earthquakes. The opposition voted no to the measure, claiming that it was unnecessary since the provinces were already declared as "disaster areas".

A week after the earthquakes in Samandağ, a coastal town in Hatay Province, residents dug through the rubble to look for victims because of the slow and limited government response. "We have nothing left and the government barely helped us," one resident said, adding that assistance only came 48 hours after the earthquake.

Twitter access ban

NetBlocks announced that ICTA limited access to Twitter from Turkey, with Turkish government officials claiming disinformation.

Criminal investigation in Turkey

Aerial view of collapsed buildings in Hatay Province

On 9 February, the minister of justice, Bekir Bozdağ, said a judicial investigation into the collapse of buildings was opened. The probe attempts to hold accountable those who constructed the buildings or bore any responsibility for their collapse in the 10 hardest-hit provinces. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said: "Those who have negligence, faults and those responsible for the destructions after the earthquake will be identified and held accountable before the judiciary". Nearly 150 local prosecutors were authorized to establish units to investigate contractors, surveyors and other experts linked to the collapsed buildings.

On 11 February, Turkey's justice ministry announced the plan to establish the "Earthquake Crimes Investigation" bureaus. The bureaus aim to hold contractors and other responsible for construction, gathering evidence, recommendation experts; including architects geologists and engineers; and inspecting building permits and occupation permits. Vice President Fuat Oktay said 131 individuals linked to the collapse of buildings were identified.

On 12 February, 12 arrests were made and 113 arrest warrants were issued; some of those arrested were building contractors. The Adana Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 62 people; 31 arrests were made on 14 February. In Malatya, city prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 31 people.

The owner of the Renaissance Residence which collapsed in Hatay Province was arrested in Istanbul while attempting to leave Turkey for Montenegro. In Gaziantep Province, two people were arrested after being suspected of cutting-down columns to make extra space in a building that collapsed. Bekir Bozdağ said 163 people were being investigated for their alleged involvement. Eight people were arrested and awaiting trial while 48 were held in police detention; another seven were prohibited from leaving Turkey. Officials detained two people at Istanbul Airport attempting to flee to Georgia. Among those arrested were a man and his wife who constructed several buildings in Adiyaman which collapsed. A contractor involved in developing the Bahar Apartments in Gaziantep was detained in Istanbul after his inspections were deemed negligent. The owner of a construction company which built several buildings in Adana was apprehended in Northern Cyprus.

The majority of buildings that collapsed in Turkey were constructed before 2000, but some were constructed after that year. Following the 1999 earthquake, building construction followed new regulations and had improved materials. Sukru Ersoy, a geology professor at Yıldız Technical University, said: "corruption is high in the construction sector in Turkey. And therefore, there were abuses". However, not all local authorities were corrupted. For instance, in Erzin, which had a strict stance against allowing the construction of buildings that violated safety codes in addition to having endured other earthquakes with less damage, became a popular location for victims from other areas to flee to as no collapsed buildings had been reported a week after the quake.

National mourning

Flags are lowered because of national mourning.

President Erdoğan declared seven days of national mourning in Turkey through a post on his Twitter page. Seven days of national mourning were also observed in Northern Cyprus, and one day in Bangladesh and Kosovo. Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama, said 13 February would be a day of national mourning. On 13 February, all overseas diplomatic missions of North Macedonia lowered the North Macedonian flags to half-mast.

Criticism by the Syrian government and opposition

Syrian government officials and state-run media blamed United States and European Union sanctions against the country for the lack of humanitarian aid and hampering rescue. On 10 February, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad accused Western countries of having "no regard for the human condition." The US Treasury said its sanctions "contain robust exemptions for humanitarian efforts" in the first place, and that after the earthquake it issued a blanket authorization for relief efforts. The United Nations has also been criticized for its policy of focusing aid shipments solely to the regime, at the expense of Syrian lives in opposition-held territories.

Idlib region, under the control of Syrian Salvation Government, was one of the hardest-hit territories. Assad regime's policy of besieging North-West Syria; which blockades the supply of food, medicines and other humanitarian supplies, has further deteriorated the crisis in Idlib. Abu Muhammad Al-Julani, commander of the SSG-aligned Tahrir al-Sham rebel militia, criticized aid agencies of neglecting the situation in Idlib and called on the international community to be more proactive in reconstruction and relief efforts, adding that the "United Nations needs to understand that it’s required to help in a crisis". Upon traveling to the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing bordering the rebel-held territories, UNOCHA Under-Secretary Martin Griffith stated on 12 February that "We have so far failed the people in north-west Syria".

The United Nations criticized Russia's attempts to block delivery of aid through checkpoints to rebel-held territories. Secretary General António Guterres urged the Security Council to immediately permit aid flows into Northwestern Syria. United States appealed for the immediate opening of all closed checkpoints to send in relief efforts to all parts of Syria; calling for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to increase humanitarian assistance through Bab al-Hawa and open up more border crossings for the entry of UN aid. Stéphane Dujarric, a United Nations spokesperson, said on 14 February, "some aid is getting into the north-west, pointing to 58 trucks that arrived with aid through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing." However, the organization does not possess heavy equipment or search and rescue teams. He stressed that the "international community as a whole needs to step up to get that aid where it is needed."

Health concerns

Due to below-freezing temperatures in the affected areas in both Turkey and Syria, the mayor of Hatay, Lütfü Savaş, warned about the hypothermia risk. In Adiyaman Province, some residents trapped under rubble died from hypothermia.

Concerns arose regarding the possible spread of infection in areas where sanitation facilities were damaged or unfunctional. Due to water shortage experienced in both countries, many survivors could not shower. International health organizations said the shortage of clean water would be a public health risk. The World Health Organization said water shortage "increases the risk of waterborne diseases and outbreaks of communicable diseases."

On 18 February, Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said there was an increase in intestinal and upper respiratory infection cases but "numbers did not pose a serious threat to public health." At a stadium serving as shelter in Kahramanmaraş, a clinic managed by 15 to 30 medics attended up to 10,000 patients in the day. The clinic provided tetanus shots and sanitary items to residents. Many people at the stadium were unable to shower and the six toilets were unable to accommodate to the large number of people. In Antakya, residents said more portable toilets were needed.

Health authoriries in Turkey had to ensure earthquake survivors were free of disease. The World Health Organization collaborated with local authorities to monitor the rates of waterborne diseases, seasonal influenza and COVID-19 among the affected.

See also

• Lists of 21st-century earthquakes
• List of costliest earthquakes
• List of earthquakes in 2023
• List of earthquakes in Turkey

References

Sources

• Earthquake Department, ed. (9 February 2023). 06 Şubat 2023 Pazarcik (Kahramanmaraş) Mw 7.7 Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş) Mw 7.6 Depremlerine İlişkin Ön Değerlendirme Raporu [Preliminary Evaluation Report on the 06 February 2023 Pazarcik (Kahramanmaraş) Mw 7.7 and Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş) Mw 7.6 Earthquakes] (PDF) (Report) (in Turkish). AFAD.
• Govers, Rob (14 February 2023). "The science behind an earthquake". Utrecht: Utrecht University – via YouTube. ORCID 0000-0001-7148-8857
• Jolivet, Romain; Jolivet, Laurent (10 February 2023). "Why have so many earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria?". The Conversation. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
• Mahase, Elisabeth (7 February 2023). "Death toll rises after two earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria in 12 hours" (PDF). BMJ. 380 (380): 304. doi:10.1136/bmj.p304. PMID 36750243. S2CID 256630400.
• UN (16 February 2023). Türkiye: 2023 Earthquakes Situation Report No.1 (PDF) (Report). OHCA.

External links

• ReliefWeb's main page for this event.
• The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.