A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck overnight, centered halfway between Turkey and Syria. Over 4000 deaths have been reported and the number continues to increase. Hundreds of buildings collapsed causing major damage to homes, streets, and infrastructure. 

Thousands of people around the world were affected by this earthquake. Junior Damla Devecigil is from Turkey and her family lives in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. 

“Many people have gone missing and the death toll is increasing,” Devecigil said “It’s a terrifying thought to think that if my family had lived a couple miles closer then I wouldn’t be able to see them anymore.”

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed that this is the worst disaster to happen since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake. As Syria struggles to recover from a decade-long conflict, the earthquake only made matters worse.

 In the aftermath of the earthquake, there were more than 120 aftershocks, including one that had a magnitude of 7.5, which is almost as powerful as the earthquake itself in terms of its force. Some aftershocks were reported as far away as Egypt and Lebanon as a result of the earthquake, which was the strongest to hit the region in nearly a century. As rescue workers search for survivors in the cold weather. 

“Social media is a great helping point and there are places you can donate to,” Devecigil said. 

BTF Disaster Relief Programs  | Bridge to Türkiye Fund (bridgetoturkiye.org)

Since the beginning of 2023 many countries have experienced earthquakes with a very high magnitude. 6.3 Japan, 5.0 Dominican Republic, 7.6 Indonesia, 5.9 Iran, and 7.0 Vanuatu.