On Sunday, October 23rd, at 01:41 pm (local time), a strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey, in the province of Van. The northern town of Ercis was the worst hit. According to the latest information, at least 270 people have been killed by the quake and more than 1,300 others have been wounded. However, authorities fear that the death toll could reach near 1,000 in coming hours as the rescue operations continue. Extended material damages have been reported in affected areas. Overnight between Sunday and Monday, thousands of people spent the night outside, fearing more tremors. The strong quake has been followed by several powerful aftershocks.
Sunday’s earthquake is one of the most powerful quakes to hit the country in more than a decade. Turkey is vulnerable to quakes as the country sits on major geological fault lines. In March 2010, an earthquake in the east killed 51 people. The biggest and deadly tremor occurred in 1999, when a 7-magnitude quake stroke the north-west of the country leaving behind more than 20,000 people dead.
If an earthquake occurs while you are outside, move to an open space and avoid the proximity of buildings, walls, trees, bridges, streetlights as well as poles and cables. If you are inside, take immediately cover under a door, a desk or a solid table. Stay away from windows and avoid the proximity of glasses, mirrors and lamps. Do not use elevators. After the tremor, turn off all electrical and gas appliances, turn off the main electricity meter and refrain from smoking. Listen to the local media to obtain fresh news regarding the event and recommended behavior. After the initial tremor, be aware that aftershocks may occur. Monitor local media in order to get updated information and obey all recommendations given by local authorities.
