A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 shook southern Turkey early Monday, causing widespread devastation and claiming over 500 lives. According to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, at least 284 people were killed and over 2,300 injured in Turkey. Meanwhile, Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported that 237 people were killed and 639 injured in Syria.
The earthquake is one of the strongest to hit Turkey in over 100 years and sent tremors across the region, collapsing buildings and causing widespread panic among residents. More than 1,700 buildings were damaged across 10 Turkish cities, according to the Turkish vice president.
The death toll continues to rise as rescue teams work to search for survivors in the rubble of fallen buildings.
Hospitals in the affected communities are struggling to keep up with the influx of patients. The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) reported that its hospitals in Syria are filled to capacity, with patients filling the hallways. In a statement, SAMS said there was an immediate need for trauma supplies and called for a comprehensive emergency response.
Some critical facilities, including Al Dana Hospital, had to evacuate patients after suffering severe damage from the earthquake. The Idleb Maternity Hospital was also forced to transfer all newborns to a nearby hospital.
The powerful earthquake has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS recorded at least 18 aftershocks with a magnitude over 4, seven of which had a magnitude above 5. The strongest aftershock so far was recorded only 11 minutes after the first quake, with a magnitude of 6.7. Experts warn that aftershocks of this magnitude are likely to continue in the hours and even days following the earthquake.