A natural cause of a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck on Sunday in the border of Turkey and Iran, nearby the village of Habash-e Olya.
Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said,
At least 50 people had been injured, including nine who are in a critical condition.
He continued,
25 ambulances, a medical helicopter and 13 emergency teams had been sent to the region.
An estimated total of 9 people dead and at least 75 people injured along with many property damages. According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), first struck of a 5.9 magnitude recorded at 8:53 am local time; spreading to a radius of 5.2 kilometres in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province near the Iran and Turkey regional border. Also, the authorities announced several minor quakes struck measured to a 3.9 magnitude furthermore.
AFAD rescuers immediately dispatched to the affected villages near Van Governorate to rescue people stuck under collapsed buildings. Shortly, after the rescue of its survivors, the experts restricted its citizens to access any damaged buildings for safety purposes.
According to the country’s seismology center, the second quake of a 5.7 magnitude struck in the evening from the same area in Iran. However, the U.S. Geological Survey measured the second earthquake as a 6.0 magnitude.
A few hours later, after the quake in Iran, Turkey hit by another minor earthquake of a 4.5 magnitude in the western province of Akhisar at 3:40 pm local time. Yet, there weren’t any intimidating damages or casualties announced in the same region or the nearby regions.
The Delegation of the European Union said in a tweet,
It stands in solidarity with the people and authorities of Turkey in their hour of need.
Previously, Turkey has been suffering from a series of earthquakes at the beginning of 2020. A 5.4 magnitude quake on January 24th in Manisa, a 4.5 magnitude quake on January 23rd in Ankara, and a 6.8 magnitude quake on January 24th in eastern Elazig province which killed 41 and injured approximately 1600 people.
Earthquake safety tips for Tourists
During the occurrence of an earthquake, act immediately,
- If driving: pullover, stop and set the parking brake.
- If sleeping indoors: place face downwards and cover head and neck with pillows.
- If staying outdoors: runaway from buildings to an open land.
- Stay away from a doorway.
- Do not panic to run outside.
Also, prepare with these steps to protect yourself,
- Drop: Lay on the ground or come on to your hands and knees.
- Cover: Cover your head and neck with your arms. Stay on your knees or bend inwards to protect vital organs. If a solid table or a desk is there, crawl for shelter.
- Hold: If you found a table or desk, always keep one hand steady to move along with it, if it moves.
- Arrange a surviving aid kit which includes enough food and water for about three days, fire extinguisher, a whistle, medication, and a spare phone.
- Obtain an earthquake insurance policy from a travel agent.
After an earthquake,
- Expect aftershocks.
- Check yourself if you are hurt; if hurt, figure out a way to stop bleeding.
- If you are in a damaged building, try and exit immediately.
- If trapped, do not scream, use a whistle or bang on a wall or pipe. Cover your mouth, nose, and eyes from dust.
- If announced Tsunami warning, find high grounds or go inland.
- Communicate with text messages instead of phone calls.
- Keep yourself registered with any safety organization such as the Red Cross.
The British Embassy located in Ankara declared their deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished immediate recovery to the wounded.
Share
