ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Hundreds of people were killed and over a thousand others were wounded across Turkey and Syria as a result of a disastrous earthquake which also affected parts of Lebanon, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region.
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Kahramanmaras in southern Turkey at around 4:17AM, followed by at least 42 aftershocks, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).
At least 284 people were killed and 2,323 wounded across Turkey due to the massive quake, which also destroyed at least 1,710 buildings.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan extended his best wishes to those affected by the earthquake, ensuring that all relevant authorities were “on alert” under the coordination of AFAD.
The earthquake was felt intensely in Syria as well, killing at least 237 and wounding an additional 648, reported the Syrian health ministry.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held an emergency meeting on Monday morning to discuss the damage caused by the earthquake.