Major Earthquake in Eastern Turkey

The south-eastern city of Van was struck by a major earthquake on Sunday afternoon (23 October) at 1.41 pm. The Kandilli seismology observation centre initially defined the magnitude at 6.6 on the Richter scale which was later corrected to 7.2.  The epicentre of the quake was in the village of Tabanlı (Van). The seismic shock could be felt in many cities in the region like Diyarbakır, Şırnak, Muş, Erzurum, Bingöl, Bitlis, Siirt and Mardin.

The final number of victims has not been announced yet. Hundreds of people are feared dead and probably more than a thousand people were injured. CNN Turk announced on Monday morning (24 October) that 217 people died and more than 500 people were injured.

Bianet talked to Murat Yılmaz, representative of the "Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development Association of Van", hours after the earthquake happened. Yılmaz said that the region needed all kinds of help right now. Seven hours after the quake, municipality workers and locals were carrying out search and rescue operations since help from outside had not arrived yet, Yılmaz described the situation.

As reported by the news agencies, patients were evacuated from hospitals due to aftershocks. About 50 people who were rescued from the rubble were treated in the hospital garden. Some patients were transferred to neighbouring provinces. Meanwhile, fire fighters started to rescue people from under the rubble. Telephone and electricity lines were damaged in the quake.

The Van Airport was temporarily closed on the grounds of the damage. Planes to Van are redirected to the airport in Erzurum in the meantime.

Damage is big in the towns of Erciş and Muradiye; many buildings were also damaged in Bitlis. The Mayor of Erciş, Zülfikar Arapoğlu, announced, "Many buildings have collapsed, we have casualties and wounded persons". The Red Crescent stated that 25 apartment blocks and a students' hall of residence collapsed in Erciş. No student was reported injured according to the rector of the Van 20^th Century University.

Journalist Cumhur Kılççıoğlu from the Mücadele ('Struggle') newspaper in Siirt reported that the situation in Siirt had calmed down. According to his information, there were no casualties and no buildings collapsed in the city. However, he had not obtained any information about the surrounding villages.

The Governor of Erzurum announced that a rescue team was on its way to Van. The Red Crescent started to supply tents, blankets and other necessary material to the region.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan cancelled his Monday program and is going to visit Van instead.

The Kandilli Seismology Observation Centre announced that approximately 3,300 to 3,400 buildings were damaged beyond repair considering the magnitude and the impact of the earthquake. About 600 building were seriously damaged and around 50 buildings collapsed. The centre initially estimated the number of deaths at about 500 to 700 people. Due to the infrastructural damage no information has been received from rural areas. 60 to 70 percent of the buildings there are expected to be damaged. (YY/ÇT/VK)