Magnitude 6.4, 5.8 earthquakes shake Türkiye's Hatay
February 20, 2023
Two new earthquakes shook Türkiye's Hatay province near the Syrian border, just two weeks after another pair of major earthquakes in the area, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said Monday.
According to AFAD, the epicenter of the first earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.4 was the Defne district. It took place at around 8:04 p.m. local time (5:04 p.m. GMT), at a depth of 16.7 kilometers (10.4 miles), AFAD said.
Another magnitude 5.8 earthquake centered in the Samandağ district in Türkiye's Hatay shook the area at a depth of 7 kilometers just three minutes after the magnitude 6.4 quake.
Eight people have been injured and one person confirmed dead after the new quakes.
People in Hatay panicked and there were blackouts in the region, according to broadcaster CNN Türk.
The earthquakes were also felt in 10 other provinces, which were significantly impacted by the two major earthquakes a fortnight ago, and footage showed people panicking on the streets.
The earthquakes were also felt in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and Jordan.
Eyewitnesses in the area noted that some buildings damaged in the two major earthquakes two weeks ago have been destroyed, as authorities were dispatched to check up on people, whose lives are already devastated by the previous disasters.
Hatay Governor Rahmi Doğan said teams were scanning the area after receiving calls following the new earthquakes.
Vice President Fuat Oktay also said authorities were scanning the area, as he urged all citizens to stay away from damaged buildings.
Magnitude 3.9 and 4.5 aftershocks also happened shortly after the new earthquakes in Hatay, reports said.
Meanwhile, AFAD called on citizens in Hatay to evacuate the coastline as a precaution against the risk of sea level rise, which may reach up to 50 centimeters (1.6 feet).
There have been 20 aftershocks so far, Oktay said on Monday evening.
The previously issued tsunami warning was standard procedure, he said, and the warning would now be lifted.
The first quake was not an aftershock of the big earthquakes from a fortnight ago, but new tremors, Oktay said.
On Feb. 6, two earthquakes with magnitudes 7.7 and 7.6 shook southeastern Türkiye, killing at least 41,156 people and injuring tens of thousands of others, according to AFAD.
Over 6,210 aftershocks jolted the areas following the two main earthquakes, AFAD said.
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