EARTHQUAKE STRIKES TURKEY AND SYRIA KILLING OVER 50,000

The devastation of the earthquakes worsened by politics

Rebecca Meghani

News Editor

The death toll continues to rise in Turkey and Syria after deadly earthquakes hit their regions, beginning on Feb. 6. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake was followed by a 7.5 magnitude aftershock only a few hours later. As the month progressed through continuous searches and devastation, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake followed in the same region on Feb. 20.

At the time of publication, the death toll in Turkey and Syria has surpassed 50,000. According to the latest figures from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), 44,218 people have died in Turkey and 5,914 in Syria.

The infrastructures that toppled due to the earthquake trapped thousands under the rubble who are still being rescued and also left many homeless. Families have begun staying in tents and sleeping in their cars due to the fear of another earthquake. The thousands of people displaced from their homes are only an addition to the thousands more that have been displaced by the war in the region.

The earthquake has brought scrutiny to the Middle East from many different angles, from politically to religiously.

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