Another earthquake has struck southern Turkey, toppling more buildings and killing at least one person as the country continues to grapple with the deadly quake that rocked the region Feb. 6, according to officials.
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the town of Yesilyurt in Malatya Province on Feb. 27, injuring 69 people, killing one and toppling at least two dozen buildings, the country’s disaster management chief Yunus Sezer announced to reporters, according to The Associated Press.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 struck southern Turkey, causing some buildings to collapse. The new temblor came three weeks after a catastrophic quake in Turkey and Syria killed tens of thousands. https://t.co/GckWLuQ7oP
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) February 27, 2023
The new quake follows a series of deadly quakes and aftershocks that have affected the region since the beginning of February. The first quake, a powerful 7.8 magnitude seismic event, struck in the early hours of Feb. 6, toppling hundreds of thousands of buildings across Turkey and Syria and killing more than 50,000 people, VOA News reported. It was quickly followed by another quake, almost as powerful as the first. As rescuers and survivors scrambled to save loved ones trapped in the devastation, powerful aftershocks and bitterly cold temperatures hampered their efforts.
Another pair of earthquakes, clocking in at 6.3 magnitude, hit the region on Feb. 20, killing another three people, Reuters reported. The quake, centered around Antakya city, was reportedly so long and powerful, the tremors could be felt as far as Egypt and Lebanon, the outlet stated.
The quakes and their devastating aftermath have left more than 1.5 million people homeless, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) stated, according to Reuters. The resulting humanitarian crisis has left many families living outside in tents in less than desirable conditions.
“I have eight children. We are living in a tent. There is water on top [of the tent] and the ground is damp. We are asking for more tents and they don’t give them to us,” a survivor told the outlet. (RELATED: Turkey Issues Over 100 Arrest Warrants For Building Contractors As Death Toll Climbs To Over 33,000)
The Turkish government is seeking to rebuild 200,000 apartments and 70,000 village houses, but UNDP states that 500,000 new homes are needed, the outlet reported. Turkey’s president, Tayyip Erdogan, has vowed to have homes rebuilt within the year, but many experts are urging safety over speed, as some earthquake-proof buildings toppled in the series of quakes that struck the region, Reuters reported.