Powerful quake leaves at least 3,800 dead in Turkey and Syria
![Ruined residential buildings in Marash, Turkey.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BLMEM7XrqJSd6QaKpDGJQd-415-80.jpg)
The death toll from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey on Monday morning continues to grow, with officials in Turkey and Syria saying at least 3,800 people were killed between the two countries.
Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Monday night that at least 2,379 people were killed in the country and 13,293 injured, with 5,600 buildings destroyed. In Syria, 1,450 people were killed and thousands injured, the state health ministry and White Helmets relief group said. There have been hundreds of aftershocks, including one with a 7.5 magnitude.
The quake was centered near Gaziantep in south central Turkey, and could be felt in Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, and Cyprus. Thousands of buildings have toppled in Turkey and Syria, and freezing temperatures, snow, damaged roads, and power outages are slowing down rescue efforts. Several international rescue teams are on their way to help or have already made it to the region, coming from Switzerland, Hungary, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"This is a race against time and hypothermia," Mikdat Kadioglu, a professor of meteorology and disaster management at the Istanbul Technical University, told The New York Times. "People got caught in sleepwear and have been under the rubble for 17 hours."
The Syrian civil war has displaced more than 6.8 million people, and 3.6 million refugees are in Turkey, with many living in areas near the earthquake epicenter. The United Nations said it is having a hard time getting humanitarian help to the refugees it helps in northwestern Syria, and the organization is "looking to mobilize emergency funds in the region," Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for the U.N. secretary general, said. "The earthquake is expected to disrupt aid operations in northwestern Syria, given the impact on roads, the supply chains, and logistical facilities."
Some Syrians initially thought the ground was shaking on Monday morning because of a battle, not an earthquake. Osama Salloum, a doctor in Idlib, told the Times people "kept looking up to the sky for jets. My mind was playing tricks on me, telling me it was war again."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Mushroom edibles are tripping up users
the explainer The psychedelics can sometimes have questionable components
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Prisons are simply not prepared for extreme heat
Under the radar Inmates are at severe risk of heat-related illness
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What financial impacts can you expect when the Fed finally cuts rates?
The Explainer The Federal Reserve is poised to slash interest rates in the coming months
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Beryl kills 4, knocks out power to 2.7M in Texas
Speed Read Millions now face sweltering heat without air conditioning
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
New data could help prepare for 'the Big One'
The explainer Earthquake data had been on shaky ground until a recent study shook things up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
EPA limits carcinogenic emissions at 218 US plants
Speed Read The new rule aims to reduce cancer-causing air pollution in areas like Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How Taiwan minimized earthquake damage
The Explainer The country was rocked but not rolled
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Strong Taiwan earthquake kills 9, injures hundreds
Speed Read At magnitude 7.4, this was Taiwan's biggest earthquake in 25 years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
EPA sets auto pollution rule that boosts EVs
Speed Read The Biden administration's new rules will push US automakers toward electric vehicles and hybrids
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
More than 150 people dead following earthquake in Nepal
Speed Read The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers continue digging through rubble
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published