Earthquake devastation in Turkiye

Tags: International News

On 6 February a major earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing more than 15,000 people.

An overview of the news

• The Indian Army has set up a field hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay province of Turkey. The field hospital will treat people affected by the earthquake.

• Three earthquakes measuring 7.8, 7.6 and 6.0 on the Richter scale hit different regions of Turkey and neighbouring Syria.

• The epicentre of the earthquake was 26 km east of the Turkish city of Nurdagi at a depth of about 18 km on the East Anatolian Fault.

• The earthquake moved northeast, causing devastation in central Turkey and Syria.

• It is the most powerful earthquake to shake the region in more than 100 years.

Reasons of Turkey’s Earthquakes

• About 95% of the country's territory is sensitive to earthquakes.

• Major cities of Istanbul and Izmir and the region of East Anatolia are in high risk.

About Earthquake

• In simple words, earthquake refers to the vibration of the earth.

• It is a natural phenomenon, in which waves are generated due to the release of energy from inside the earth which spreads in all directions and vibrates the earth.

• The waves produced by an earthquake are called seismic waves, which move on the surface of the earth.

• The instruments used to measure earthquakes are called seismographs.

• The place below the Earth's surface where the epicenter of an earthquake is located is called the hypocenter.

• The place above the surface of the earth where the seismic waves first reach is called the epicenter.

• It is measured in the Richter scale.