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Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria Inspire Student Action

Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria Inspire Student Action

Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria Inspire Student Action

WIKI MEDIA COMMONS

Contributing Writer

March 2, 2023

Ihsan Yumak '25

On February 6, two devastating earthquakes of 7.8 and 7.5 magnitudes struck South Eastern Turkey and North Western Syria, respectively. The earthquake’s epicenter was in the city of Kahramanmaras and caused intense quakes in surrounding provinces and cities — including Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Malatya, Kilis, and Adana — resulting in major damages and injuries. On February 24, Reuters reported that the death toll from the earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6 has surpassed 50,000 — 44,000 in Turkey and 6,000 in Syria. 56,080 buildings in Turkey and Syria, including hospitals, schools, shopping centers, and government buildings, have collapsed, and many more have become uninhabitable. Following the devastating earthquake, smaller magnitude earthquakes known as aftershocks, were recorded in Turkey. According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey (AFAD), over 7,000 aftershocks have been recorded after the initial earthquake two weeks ago. The latest aftershock, recorded on February 21, had a magnitude of 6.3, killed at least eight people, and injured more than 200. International rescue workers have played a vital role in assisting those in the region. According to Winston Chang, a U.N. disaster response coordinator who helped oversee the effort, nearly 12,000 rescue workers from 88 countries were deployed to Turkey and Syria. However, as efforts transition from search and rescue to search and recover, and the possibility of finding survivors diminishes, many of those international rescue crews have already left, even as Turkey and Syria continue to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.

Ihsan Yumak is a contributing writer for The Record

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Editor's Note: This article was recovered from The Record's online archive. There may be stylistic and visual errors that interrupt the reading experience, as well as missing photos. To read this article as it appeared in print, view our print archives.

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Editorials are written by members of The Record's Executive Board. They typically center on issues related to the school or student life on campus.

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