ANTAKYA: Six people were killed in  latest earthquake to strike border region of Turkiye and Syria, authorities reported, two weeks after larger one killed more than 47,000 people and damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes.

Monday’s quake, this time with magnitude of 6.4, was centred near southern Turkish city of Antakya and was felt in Syria, Egypt and Lebanon.

Turkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said there had been 90 aftershocks. Six thousand tents were sent to area overnight for residents alarmed by new quake.

Hatay provincial governor’s building, already damaged in February 6 quakes, collapsed in latest tremor, television footage showed. Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said 294 people had been injured, with 18 seriously hurt and transported to hospitals in Adana and Dortyol. Patients were evacuated from some health facilities that had remained in operation after massive tremors two weeks ago, as cracks had emerged in buildings, Koca said on Twitter.

In Samandag, where AFAD had reported one person dead, residents said more buildings had collapsed, but that most of town had already fled after initial earthquakes. Mounds of debris and discarded furniture lined the dark, abandoned streets. Muna Al Omar said she had been in tent in park in central Antakya when ground started heaving again.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 22 2023

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