More than 47,000 people have died in Turkey as a result of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on February 6 and its aftershocks, leaving millions without a place to live.
Only two weeks after the area was hit by a massive earthquake, another earthquake slammed the border region of Turkey and Syria on Monday 20th Feb, 2023.
Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon were all affected by Monday’s earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.3 and was centered close to the city of Antakya in southern Turkey.
The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported that it only penetrated two kilometres (1.2 miles) below the surface, potentially amplifying its damage below ground.
At a time when rescue efforts following the earthquake and its aftershocks on February 6 were winding down and attention was shifting to the urgent need for shelter and reconstruction work, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier pledged that Washington would assist “for as long as it takes” while on a visit to Turkey.
Now what you also have to understand is that Earthquakes are common in Turkey as the country is located in an active seismic zone.
Turkiye is located in a highly active seismic zone, making it one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.
The country sits at the boundary between the African, Eurasian and Arabian tectonic plates, and as a result, experiences frequent earthquakes.
This earthquake happened because of the movement of the African and Arabian plate against The Eurasian plate. At the tri junction of these 3 plates lies the focus point of this earthquake.
Gazia–ntep province is the epicenter of this earthquake. And the effect of this earthquake is being felt both in the Northern part of Syria, then Northern part of Cyprus and in the South Eastern part of Turkiye.
If you want to know how earthquake occurs and if you also want to know about tectonic plates, then watch the video. I have covered almost everything in depth.