Last week's quakes in Türkiye 'exceptional natural phenomenon,' says president

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Experts across the world have described last week's twin earthquakes in Türkiye as an "exceptional natural phenomenon," the country's president said on Tuesday.

"With the consensus of all experts in the world, the earthquakes of Kahramanmaras are considered an exceptional natural phenomenon with their magnitude, destructiveness, and the fact that they occurred back to back," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after a Cabinet meeting at the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) in the capital Ankara.

He underlined that "serious" destruction had occurred in the 10 provinces worst hit by the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes that shook the region on Feb. 6.

Erdogan also said that at least 35,418 people had died due to the earthquakes, both of which were centered in the province of Kahramanmaras, affecting more than 13 million people.

"The disaster, which took place in an area wider than the entire territory of many countries in the world, occurred at such a short distance from the surface of 7 kilometers (4.3 miles), multiplying the destruction (it caused) compared to other major earthquakes in history.

"These successive earthquakes released energy equivalent to hundreds of the most powerful atomic bombs," he added.

Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Hataty, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa were also hit hard by the two massive tremors that struck within the space of 10 hours.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the earthquakes.

Erdogan said that a total of 13,208 injured were still receiving treatment in hospitals.

"According to the preliminary findings, 211,000 homes in 47,000 buildings in the earthquake zone were found to have been destroyed, severely damaged or necessary to be demolished," he said.