A 48 magnitude earthquake happened near Vancouver Island on Thursday evening.
Earthquakes Canada said there was an earthquake just after 8 pm. It happened 206 kilometres southwest of Port Alice.
Only one person told the government that they felt the earthquake. They said the shaking was not very strong. The agency in charge of earthquakes said there was no damage and they didn’t expect any because of how strong the earthquake was and where it happened.
Last week, many people felt an earthquake. On April 23, there was a small earthquake near McBride, a town close to Alberta. Earthquakes Canada measured it to be 4.2 in magnitude and it happened 45 kilometres outside of McBride.
Fourteen people sent reports saying they felt the earthquake. Eleven people said the shaking was weak, and three others said it was light.
Tag: earthquake
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4.8-magnitude earthquake detected to the west of Vancouver Island
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9 persons in Japan have minor injuries following powerful earthquake
A big earthquake hit southwestern Japan causing nine people to get hurt a little. It also caused damage like broken water pipes and small landslides, the government said on Thursday. There was no risk of a tsunami.
The earthquake on Wednesday night had a magnitude of 6.6 It happened just off the coast of Shikoku, in an area called the Bungo Channel, which is a narrow stretch of water between Shikoku and Kyushu.
The earthquake happened deep under the sea, and the Japanese Meteorological Agency said there’s no risk of a tsunami.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported on Thursday that six people in Ehime prefecture, one in neighbouring Kochi, and two others in Oita on Kyushu island got hurt, mostly from falling at home.
Pipes broke in Sukumo City and stones fell at a Buddhist temple in Ainan town, according to local news. Roof tiles were falling down too.
The nuclear safety authority said that everything is okay with the four reactors at three nuclear power plants in Shikoku and Kyushu.
Japan is in a place where there are a lot of earthquakes because it is in the “ring of fire” in the Pacific Ocean. In March 2011, a very big earthquake and tsunami hit Japan’s northeast coast. It destroyed a lot of places, killed almost 20,000 people, and caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to have meltdowns. -
Almost 600 individuals still missing in wake of earthquake in Taiwan
Over 600 people are stuck in different places, including around 450 people at a hotel in Taroko national park, because of rockslides and other damage.
Rescuers are working very hard to find and bring out bodies of people who are stuck, including two under big rocks on a hiking path.
Four people are still not found on the Shakadang Trail in Taroko National Park. This park is known for its rough and steep land.
A big earthquake hit Taiwan’s east coast on Wednesday morning and at least 12 people died. Another 10 people are still missing.
The bodies of a man and a woman were found on Friday, but their identities have not been determined yet, as per reports from Taiwanese media.
People who survived said that rocks fell onto the roads and blocked them in the tunnels. Rescuers came and helped them get out. A building in Hualien was leaning over a street and being taken down safely.
The small number of deaths from the strong earthquake was because the buildings were built well and people were taught how to stay safe during earthquakes on the island.
On Wednesday, there was a big earthquake, the biggest in a long time. The last big one was in 1999 and it killed 2,400 people.
It hit about 11 miles south-southwest of Hualien and was about 21 miles below the surface.
Several smaller earthquakes happened after the main one, and the USGS reported that one of these was a 6. 5 magnitude earthquake and was seven miles deep.
Smaller earthquakes usually cause more damage on the surface. The earthquake caused a tsunami alert, but it was canceled later.
Earthquakes happen a lot and I’m used to them. “Today was the first time an earthquake scared me to tears,” said Taipei resident Hsien-hsuen Keng.
The earthquake woke me up. I’ve never felt such strong shaking before. -
Earthquake hits New York City
A strong earthquake has hit the crowded New York City area on Friday morning, according to the US Geological Survey. People in the Northeast said they felt the ground shaking.
The agency said there was a 4. 7 earthquake near Lebanon, New Jersey. It was about 45 miles from New York City and 50 miles from Philadelphia.
The New York Fire Department said they didn’t hear about any damage at first. New York Mayor Eric Adams was told about the earthquake. His spokesperson Fabien Levy said that they don’t have any reports of big problems yet, but they are still checking to see what the impact was.
In the middle of Manhattan, the usual noisy traffic got louder as drivers honked their horns on shaky streets. Some people in Brooklyn heard a loud noise and felt their building shake. A person from California who is used to earthquakes helped calm their worried neighbors in a Manhattan apartment building.
People living in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut, and other parts of the East Coast who are not used to earthquakes said they also felt the ground shaking.
The governor of New York. Kathy Hochul wrote on X that the earthquake was felt all over the state. “My team is checking to see what kind of damage has happened, and we will keep telling people about it during the day,” Hochul said.
The shaking reminded me of the August. On August 23, 2011, an earthquake shook many people in the area from Georgia to Canada. A 58 magnitude earthquake was recorded, and it was the strongest one to hit the East Coast since World War II. The middle of the earthquake was in Virginia.
The earthquake made the Washington Monument cracked, and made people leave the White House and Capitol. It also scared New Yorkers, and this happened three weeks before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attack11 violent attacks with the intention to cause fear and harm. -
9 people killed and buildings damaged in Taiwan’s largest earthquake
Taiwan had a really big earthquake for the first time in 25 years. It happened during the morning rush hour on Wednesday. The earthquake caused a lot of damage to buildings and roads and nine people died.
During the earthquake in Taipei, old buildings lost their tiles and schools moved students to sports fields with yellow safety helmets. Some kids used textbooks to protect themselves from things that might fall on them while the aftershocks kept happening. Later, a tall building in Hualien County was left leaning at a 45-degree angle and its first floor had collapsed.
Taiwan’s fire department said nine people died in the earthquake, which happened just before 8 am. The newspaper said that three people who were hiking in Taroko National Park were killed in rockslides, and the driver of a van also died when big rocks hit the vehicle.
The agency said that 50 people in minibuses are missing because the earthquake damaged the phone networks and the authorities can’t reach them. More than 70 people are stuck, but they are thought to be okay. Some of them are in a coal mine. Another 882 people got hurt.
Taiwan’s earthquake agency said the earthquake was a 7. 2 magnitude, while the US Geological Survey said it was a 7. It hit about 18 kilometers (11. 1 miles) south-southwest of Hualien and was about 35 kilometers (21 miles) deep. Several smaller earthquakes happened after the main one, and the USGS said one of them was a 6. 5 magnitude earthquake and was 11. 8 kilometers (7 miles) deep. Smaller earthquakes usually cause more damage on the ground. The earthquake made a big wave warning, but it was cancelled later.
Officials had thought there would be a small earthquake of a magnitude 4, so they didn’t warn anyone. Yet, the earthquake was powerful enough to frighten people who are accustomed to such movement.
“Earthquakes happen a lot, and I’m used to them. ” Today was the first time a resident in Taipei, Hsien-hsuen Keng, was very scared and cried because of an earthquake. Keng lives on the fifth floor of an apartment. “The earthquake woke me up. ” I had never felt shaking so strong before.
People and rescue workers helped residents, including a small child, get out of their homes through the windows and onto the street. Everyone on the mobile was surprised but luckily no one was seriously hurt. The doors were stuck closed because of the tilt.
The old school that turned into a national building and parts of the main airport near Taipei got a little damaged.
The earthquake caused traffic to come to a stop on the east coast. Landslides and debris falling from the mountains hit the tunnels and highways, making it hard for cars to move. Train and subway services were stopped all over the island with 23 million people. In the capital city of Taipei, a new above-ground train line was also affected.
The Japan Meteorological Agency found a small tsunami of 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) on the coast of Yonaguni island about 15 minutes after the earthquake. The waves were smaller in Ishigaki and Miyako islands.
The earthquake was noticed in Shanghai and in many provinces along the southeastern coast of China, as reported by Chinese media. China and Taiwan are around 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from each other. China did not warn people in the mainland about a tsunami, and all tsunami alerts in the area were removed by Wednesday afternoon.
The island is used to earthquakes, so people quickly stopped panicking after the earthquake. They have drills at schools and get notices on their phones to prepare for earthquakes.
By lunchtime, lots of people were at the metro station in Beitou, Taipei. Some were going to work and others, mostly older people, were going to the hot springs or hiking in the mountains nearby.
Stephen Gao, a scientist who studies earthquakes at Missouri University of Science and Technology, said Taiwan is very well-prepared for earthquakes. They have strong rules for building buildings, a great system for tracking earthquakes, and they teach a lot of people how to stay safe during earthquakes.
Hualien was hit by a powerful earthquake in 2018 that caused a historic hotel and other buildings to collapse. Taiwan had a very strong earthquake in September. On September 21, 1999, a very strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7. 7 happenedIt caused 2,400 people to die, around 100,000 people got hurt, and many buildings were destroyed.
Taiwan is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” which is where a lot of earthquakes happen around the Pacific Ocean.
The earthquake caused damage to Taiwan’s economy, but the exact cost is still unknown. Taiwan makes the best computer chips and other high-tech items in the world, and these products can be easily damaged by earthquakes. Some parts of the electricity system were turned off, which might cause problems with getting goods and money lost.
TSMC, a company in Taiwan that makes computer chips, had to move its workers out of some factories in Hsinchu, which is in the southwest of Taipei. TSMC makes chips for companies like Apple. Hsinchu officials said that factories in the city’s science park have normal water and electricity supplies.
The Taiwan stock market opened as normal on Wednesday. The index went up and down, sometimes losing and sometimes gaining. -
Taiwan shaken by powerful earthquake, causes building damage and tsunami
A big earthquake shook Taiwan on Wednesday and caused buildings to fall down in a city in the south. It also made a big wave that hit islands in southern Japan.
A tall building in a not very crowded area called Hualien was badly broken. The first floor fell down and the rest of the building is leaning to one side at a 45-degree angle. In Taipei, tiles fell from old and new buildings.
Train service and subway service in Taipei were stopped for the 23 million people on the island. However, everything went back to normal in the city. Kids went to school and the morning traffic was like usual.
The Japan Meteorological Agency found a 30 centimeter (about one foot) tsunami wave on the coast of Yonaguni island 15 minutes after the earthquake. The JAMA said that waves will likely also hit the coast of Miyako and Yaeyama islands. Japan’s Self Defense Force sent planes to find out about the damage from the tsunami in the Okinawa area. They were also getting shelters ready in case people needed to be evacuated.
Taiwan’s earthquake agency said the earthquake was a 7.2, but the US Geological Survey said it was a 7. 4It happened at 7:58 in the morning. Around 18 kilometers to the south-southwest of Hualien and about 35 kilometers (or 21 miles) deep.
Wu Chien-fu, the leader of Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring group, said they noticed the earthquake effects all the way to Kinmen, an island controlled by Taiwan near China. Several smaller earthquakes were felt in Taipei within an hour after the first big one.
The USGS said that one of the smaller earthquakes measured 6.5 magnitude and was 11. 8 kilometers (seven miles) deep.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Hawaii and Guam are not in danger of a tsunami.
The earthquake was thought to be the largest in Taiwan since a big quake in 1999 that caused a lot of damage. Taiwan is located in a place where a lot of earthquakes happen, called the “Ring of Fire. ” This area has many faults in the ground that can cause earthquakes. -
Turkey mourns tens of thousands of people killed in earthquake last year
Many people in Turkey felt sad on Tuesday because they remembered the more than 53,000 people who died in an earthquake there a year ago.
The government organized some events to remember the big disaster that happened a year ago in southern Turkiye. They are calling it the “Disaster of the Century. ”
In Antakya, which is the main city in the southern province of Hatay, upset crowds pushed and shoved with the police while officials were taken to the events. The mayor was told to quit by people shouting at him, and the health minister was booed when he spoke.
In the fog by the Orontes River, people were chanting “Can anyone hear me. ” and “We won’t forget, we won’t forgive,” echoing the voices of those who died in a building collapse last year.
“Mustafa Bahadirli, who is 24 years old and lives in Antakya, said that some people were buried alive. ” We used to call the government ‘father’, but now we feel like we don’t have a father in the government anymore. We were left alone for many days and are still alone.
Sebnem Yesil, who is 22 years old, said bad things about the government and also about opposition politicians like Savas, the mayor.
She said she thinks they have been very rude. “It’s been a year, and now they’ve finally arrived for a ceremony. ” You didn’t listen to us, you didn’t give us any help, at least let us mourn.
After a short time of quiet at 4:17 in the morning. To remember when the earthquake happened, people threw flowers into the river and a band played a song for the people who were hurt.
Hatay, a place between the Mediterranean Sea and the Syrian border, was the most damaged out of 11 provinces in the south when a very strong earthquake hit. The earthquake killed over 59,000 people, including 6,000 in Syria.
People in Adiyaman walked quietly in a group, going past a clock tower that has been showing the time of the earthquake for a year.
President Erdogan supervised a housing lottery for new homes in the city of Kahramanmaras, which was at the center of the earthquake. He also checked the progress of rebuilding the city and relocating thousands of people who are still living in tents and temporary shelters.
“Today, we are having a lottery for 9,289 houses in Kahramanmaras and giving the keys to the new owners,” Erdogan said. He said the government wants to build 200,000 homes in the area affected by the earthquake by the end of the year.
Then the families chosen to receive new homes were called on stage to get the keys from Erdogan. The event was shown on TV all over the country.
Earlier, at 4:17 in the morning, Erdogan wrote on social media that the pain of the disaster still hurts, but he is grateful that the country has passed the test.
Other politicians from a different party are also going to the area. The leader of the Republican People’s Party, Ozgur Ozel, will be at the events in Hatay, and then he will go to Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras.
Schools were shut down for the day in many provinces affected by the earthquake. The governor in Malatya stopped people from having marches or public events for three days, unless they were officially approved.
At the same time, Mads Brinch Hansen, who is in charge of the Red Cross team in Syria, said few things look good for fixing the country after the earthquake.
“We don’t have enough money to consider doing bigger rehabilitation and reconstruction,” he said. -
Turkey and Syria’s recovery from the February 2023 earthquake: Challenges and achievements
In February 2023, a devastating earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, leaving behind a trail of destruction and heartbreak. As these two neighboring nations embark on the road to recovery, they face a multitude of challenges and have made significant achievements in rebuilding their shattered communities.
The earthquake, with its epicenter in eastern Turkey, resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and widespread infrastructure damage. With limited resources and a complex geopolitical landscape, both countries are now navigating the daunting task of reconstruction.
From mobilizing international aid to coordinating local efforts, Turkey and Syria are making strides toward rebuilding homes, schools, and essential utilities. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and volunteers have come together to offer assistance and support to affected communities.
However, the road to recovery is far from easy. Challenges such as funding constraints, bureaucratic hurdles, and ensuring the psychological well-being of survivors loom large.
This article explores the challenges and achievements in Turkey and Syria’s recovery process after the February 2023 earthquake. From understanding the scale of the disaster to examining the innovative solutions implemented, we shed light on the arduous journey towards rebuilding and healing.
Overview of the Damage Caused by the Earthquake
The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023 left a devastating impact on both countries. With its epicenter in eastern Turkey, the quake resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including homes, schools, and vital utilities.
Photo by Doruk Aksel Anıl: Hatay Earthquake
The affected regions were left in ruins, with entire communities displaced and struggling to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.
The scale of the destruction was immense, with buildings reduced to rubble, roads and bridges collapsed, and essential services disrupted. The earthquake not only claimed lives but also shattered the social fabric of the affected regions, leaving survivors traumatized and in desperate need of support.
Challenges in the Recovery Process
The recovery process in Turkey and Syria has been fraught with numerous challenges. One of the primary hurdles faced by both countries is the lack of adequate funding. Rebuilding entire communities and infrastructure requires substantial financial resources, which are often limited in the aftermath of a disaster.
Bureaucratic hurdles have also posed significant challenges. The coordination and implementation of recovery efforts involve multiple government agencies, non-profit organizations, and international stakeholders. Streamlining these processes and ensuring effective collaboration can be a complex task, further delaying the recovery process.
Another critical aspect of the recovery process is addressing the psychological well-being of the survivors. The earthquake left many individuals traumatized, with deep emotional scars that require attention and support. Providing mental health services and counseling to the affected population is crucial in ensuring their long-term well-being and facilitating the healing process.
Government Response and Initiatives for Recovery
The governments of Turkey and Syria have taken active steps to address the challenges posed by the earthquake and facilitate the recovery process. Both countries have established dedicated government agencies responsible for coordinating and overseeing the rebuilding efforts.
In Turkey, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization has been at the forefront of the recovery process, working closely with local authorities and international organizations. The government has implemented strict building codes and regulations to ensure the construction of earthquake-resistant structures, aiming to minimize the impact of future disasters.
Syria, despite facing political and economic challenges, has also made progress in its recovery efforts. The Syrian government has prioritized the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, such as water and electricity networks, to restore essential services to the affected regions. Government-led initiatives have focused on providing temporary shelter, healthcare services, and education facilities to displaced communities.
International Aid and Support for the Affected Regions
The international community has played a crucial role in supporting Turkey and Syria’s recovery process. Various countries, non-governmental organizations, and international bodies have extended financial assistance, technical expertise, and humanitarian aid to the affected regions.
International aid has been instrumental in addressing immediate needs, such as emergency medical assistance, food, and clean water. Additionally, foreign governments and organizations have partnered with local authorities to provide resources for long-term reconstruction, including funding for housing, infrastructure, and sustainable development projects.
Collaboration between local and international stakeholders has been essential in leveraging expertise and resources to accelerate the recovery process. Non-profit organizations have been actively involved in providing on-ground support, including emergency relief, medical services, and psychological counseling to survivors.
Infrastructure and Housing Reconstruction Efforts
Rebuilding infrastructure and housing has been a significant focus of the recovery process in Turkey and Syria. Efforts have been made to restore damaged roads, bridges, and utilities, ensuring the efficient functioning of essential services. The construction of earthquake-resistant buildings has also been prioritized to mitigate future risks.
In Turkey, the government has implemented innovative approaches to housing reconstruction, such as the use of prefabricated structures. Prefabricated housing offers a cost-effective and rapid solution to provide temporary shelter to displaced communities while permanent housing is being constructed.
Syria, with its extensive urban damage, has faced unique challenges in rebuilding its cities. The government has worked closely with international experts to develop urban planning strategies that prioritize safety, accessibility, and sustainability. Efforts are underway to restore public spaces, revitalize neighborhoods, and create resilient communities.
Economic Recovery and Rebuilding Local Businesses
The earthquake’s impact on the local economy has been significant, with businesses and livelihoods disrupted in the affected regions. Economic recovery has been a crucial aspect of the overall recovery process in Turkey and Syria.
Both countries have implemented measures to support local businesses and stimulate economic growth. In Turkey, the government has provided financial assistance and tax incentives to affected businesses, encouraging them to resume operations and contribute to the recovery efforts.
Syria, despite the ongoing conflict, has also taken steps to rebuild its economy. The government has focused on creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and attracting investments to the affected regions. Efforts have been made to provide microfinance opportunities and vocational training to empower individuals and rebuild livelihoods.
Rehabilitation of Healthcare and Education Systems
The earthquake severely impacted healthcare and education systems in the affected regions. Hospitals and medical facilities were damaged, leaving communities without access to essential healthcare services. Schools and educational institutions were also destroyed or rendered unsafe, disrupting the education of thousands of children.
Rehabilitating healthcare and education systems has been a top priority for Turkey and Syria. Both countries have worked towards restoring healthcare facilities, ensuring the availability of medical supplies, and training healthcare professionals to address the increased demand for services.
In the education sector, efforts have been made to rebuild schools and provide temporary learning spaces for children. Access to quality education is seen as crucial for the long-term recovery and development of the affected regions. Innovative solutions, such as mobile classrooms and distance learning programs, have been implemented to ensure continued education.
Environmental Impact and Conservation Efforts
The earthquake’s impact extended beyond human lives and infrastructure, affecting the environment and natural resources. The destruction of ecosystems, soil erosion, and potential hazards posed by damaged infrastructure have raised concerns about the long-term environmental impact.
To address these challenges, Turkey and Syria have focused on implementing sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the recovery process. Efforts have been made to restore and conserve natural habitats, promote reforestation, and mitigate the risks of future disasters through better land management and urban planning.
Conservation organizations and environmental experts have collaborated with local authorities to develop strategies that balance the need for reconstruction with environmental preservation. The integration of green infrastructure and sustainable design principles in rebuilding efforts has been crucial in creating resilient and environmentally conscious communities.
Achievements and Lessons Learned from the Recovery Process
Despite the numerous challenges, Turkey and Syria have achieved significant milestones in their recovery process. The communities have shown resilience and strength, coming together to rebuild their lives and support each other in times of adversity.
From the establishment of efficient coordination mechanisms to the implementation of innovative solutions, the recovery efforts have showcased the determination and resourcefulness of the affected regions. The international community’s support and collaboration have also played a vital role in accelerating the recovery process.
The recovery process has provided valuable lessons for future disaster preparedness and response. The importance of early warning systems, robust infrastructure, and community engagement in disaster management has been emphasized. The need for stronger international cooperation and support in times of crisis has also been highlighted.
As Turkey and Syria continue their journey towards recovery and healing, the challenges may persist, but the achievements attained thus far serve as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of unity in the face of adversity.
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Death toll from Japan earthquake increases to 161
More than 160 people have died because of the big earthquake in Japan on New Year’s Day.
Efforts are still going on to find over 100 people who are still missing after a week.
The bad weather is making it difficult for rescuers to help people. There is heavy rain and snow, which could cause landslides and building collapses.
A big earthquake with a 7. 6 magnitude hit the far-away Noto peninsula. It knocked down buildings and caused a big fire.
Most of the deaths occurred in the cities of Wajima and Suzu, which were heavily affected.
At the same time, the number of missing people decreased from 195 to a little over 100. The number of people who have died has increased from 120 on Sunday.
More than 2,000 people are still unable to reach places because the roads are badly damaged. Many other people are staying in temporary shelters because they need help.
The Japanese army has been giving out food, water, and blankets to people who had to leave their homes.
The defence ministry said on Sunday that they sent almost 6,000 soldiers to help with the relief effort.
They said they think there are still people who need help and promised to keep rescuing them even though the 72 hour window has passed.
There are stories of people getting better in amazing ways. A 90-year-old woman was found alive under a pile of broken buildings in Suzu after five days.
People in the hardest-hit areas need to stay alert because they are still having more earthquakes.
As of Monday morning, over 1,200 earthquakes have happened in Japan since the start of the New Year, according to NHK, a Japanese TV station.
Japan has a lot of earthquakes, and there have been more near Noto since the end of 2020.
Over the last three years, more than 500 small and medium earthquakes have occurred there. -
Japan earthquake: Woman in her 90s discovered alive five days later under debris
A woman who is 90 years old was found alive under a collapsed building five days after a big earthquake hit central Japan.
Rescuers found her in a damaged two-story building in the town of Suzu.
A big earthquake with a magnitude of 7. 5 hit the coast of Japan’s sea on Monday. It caused a lot of damage to the towns on the Noto peninsula.
Over 120 people have been found dead, and 200 more are missing.
The newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that 100 people were sent to the town of Suzu to rescue two women who were trapped underground.
The newspaper said that the old lady was talking and awake, but she might have hypothermia. They got this information from the local police.
At the same place, rescuers also found a woman in her 40s who was not breathing and her heart had stopped beating, reports said.
The first 3 days of a rescue are very important because after that, it’s unlikely to find people alive. The two women were discovered several days after the window was closed.
The military in Japan is using helicopters to help people in isolated areas. They are also using the helicopters to bring supplies to those areas because many roads are still closed.
As said by NHK, it might be difficult to rescue people because of the expected rainy weather in some areas affected by the earthquake on Sunday. Officials are cautioning that even a little rain could cause more landslides.
They also said that it will get very cold on Sunday and it might snow in the mountainous areas of Ishikawa prefecture until Monday.
Over 30,000 people are living in shelters run by the government.
As of Saturday, about 23,200 homes had no power in Ishikawa, and over 66,400 didn’t have running water.
Hiroshi Hase, the governor of Ishikawa, said that the area is in big trouble during a meeting about handling disasters.
He said it will take a long time to fix the water because there are many pipes with holes.
Some nursing homes and places that help elderly and disabled people are also without electricity and running water.
Japan has a lot of earthquakes, and there have been more of them near Noto since the end of 2020. Over the last three years, there have been over 500 small and medium earthquakes in that area. -
Japan earthquake death toll reaches 126 as more survivors extricated from debris
A lot of people have died in Japan after some big earthquakes, and rescuers are still finding people alive in the rubble.
Today, they found a woman in her 90s who had been stuck since the big earthquake started five days ago.
The TV news showed rescue workers using plastic to keep her out of public sight.
Today, a man was saved from a building that had fallen down. He had been stuck there for 3 days.
Unfortunately, a boy who was five years old got hot water spilled on him during the earthquake and he passed away on Friday.
He was getting better, but then he got worse again, according to officials in Ishikawa, the area most affected.
Rescue efforts are still happening, but they are being slowed down by more shaking that could cause more damage.
A man is searching for his family in a city called Anamizu, in Japan. The city was hit by an earthquake and some of the houses have fallen down. The man is walking in front of one of those houses. The fifth of May, 2024. On Monday, a big earthquake destroyed houses, damaged roads, and caused boats to be tossed around in the water. It also led to warnings about a possible tsunami.
Some roads are already cracked, and there’s a worry that they might collapse, especially if it rains or snows tonight and on Sunday.
Wajima city has had 69 people die, which is the most, followed by Suzu with 38. Over 500 people got hurt, and at least 27 of them were hurt badly.
More than 200 people are believed to be missing right now.
On Tuesday, January 15th, we saw houses ruined near the ocean in Suzu, Ishikawa, Japan. On July 2, 2024. Several big earthquakes hit the western part of Japan, causing a lot of damage to buildings, cars, and boats. Officials are telling people in some places to stay away from their homes because there might be more earthquakes.
The earthquakes made a big fire in Wajima town. There were also landslides and other fires in the area.
The University of Tokyo’s earthquake research institute found that the western coast of Japan moved up to 820ft closer to the sea in some places.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, did something unexpected by sending a message of sympathy to the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida. The news was reported by the official Korean Central News Agency.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, a government spokesperson, said that Japan was thankful for all the messages they got, including the one from Mr.
He said Japan hasn’t received a condolence message for a disaster in almost 30 years, since 1995.
Yesterday, it was announced that Japan will get $100,000 (ÂŁ78,600) from the US to help, and they will also receive more assistance in the future.
Electricity is slowly coming back in the areas near the ocean, but there is still not enough water. This is made worse because the systems providing emergency water are also broken.
Many soldiers are bringing water, food, and medicine to over 30,000 people who lost their homes and are staying in auditoriums, schools, and other buildings.
On Tuesday, a plane from the coast guard that was carrying help for the area affected by the disaster crashed into a plane carrying passengers on the runway at a Tokyo airport.
Five out of the six people on the coast guard plane died, but all 379 people on the passenger plane survived, even though it was on fire. -
Almost 250 people still missing in Japan following earthquake
Rescuers in Japan are hurrying to find 242 people who are missing after a very bad earthquake on New Year’s Day.
A very important 72-hour time to find people alive after the earthquake ended late on Thursday.
On Friday, 92 people died from the strong earthquake in the faraway Noto peninsula.
According to Kyodo news agency, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces increased the number of soldiers helping with rescue and relief to 4,600.
Several people are believed to be stuck under their fallen homes, mostly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima. The buildings made of wood can’t handle strong earthquakes that happen often in this country.
Many people still don’t have electricity and water, and some are stuck because of landslides and blocked roads.
“We will keep trying,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after talking with disaster response officials on Friday.
Mr Kishida asked the rescue and relief workers to do everything they can to help the people in the affected areas.
The earthquake on Monday also caused a small tsunami which flooded at least 296 acres of land in Japan.
Japan said it will use 4. 74 billion yen from its budget to help the victims.
Pictures from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force show soldiers putting food, water, and other supplies onto trucks parked on the road. Soldiers are removing dirt and rubble from roads that were damaged by landslides.
In another picture, soldiers were seen carrying a person on a stretcher along a snowy path.
The BBC saw a lot of damage when they visited Wajima on Wednesday. Some houses and cars were crushed by falling concrete. Several old wooden houses in the town fell down.
The town, which has 23,000 people, looks like a ghost town because most people left when they were told a tsunami might come. -
Japanese woman in her 80s rescued from debris
An 80-year-old woman was rescued from the remains of her fallen house in Japan, three days after the earthquake on New Year’s Day.
The NHK news agency showed a video of a woman being carried out of her house in Wajima town.
Rescue workers are hurrying to find people who are still alive, but the time to find them is running out.
At least 82 people died when a very strong earthquake hit the Noto peninsula on Monday.
Many people are believed to be stuck under their fallen homes, mostly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima.
The old woman was stuck on the first floor of her house after the earthquake.
After 3 days, it’s unlikely to find people alive. The window is closed because there was an earthquake at 16:10 local time (07:10 GMT) on Monday.
Many people don’t have electricity and water, and some can’t get help because of landslides and blocked roads.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday that 150 people have been saved and rescue teams will keep working hard to save more people.
This is a very hard situation. “But please try your best to save as many lives as you can by tonight, when it will be 72 hours since the disaster happened,” he said.
The earthquake on Monday hurt at least 330 people, and there were more smaller earthquakes afterward. This information comes from the AFP news agency.
More than 30,000 people who were affected by the earthquake are still living in shelters. Some towns don’t have water, electricity, or internet.
At the same time, exciting stories about saving people are spreading widely on the internet. A video shared by Peace Winds Japan, a local group that helps people, shows a group of rescuers clearing away debris to save a woman stuck under her house. They put a warm, thick blanket on her.
The BBC saw a lot of damage in Wajima on Wednesday. Some houses and cars were crushed by falling concrete. Please simplify this text. Lots of the town’s old, traditional wooden houses fell down.
Japan made new rules to keep buildings safe from earthquakes in 1981, but many wooden houses were built before these rules were made.
Some of the people in Wajima, many of them old, did not update their homes. In 2018, most of the buildings in the town did not meet the new standards.
Wajima has about 23,000 people. Many people left the town when they were told a tsunami might come. Now, Wajima looks like a ghost town because most people are gone.
But it has recorded the most deaths, with 48 confirmed deaths – more than half of the total number of casualties. The number is likely to go up because some areas near the town still have broken roads and landslides, so it’s hard for rescuers to reach people for help.
The mayor of Wajima said that only 2,000 out of 10,000 people who had to leave town have gotten food and other things they need.
The mayor of Suzu, a town with about 13,000 people, says that almost all of its houses are destroyed. About 90% are fully or mostly collapsed, said Masuhiro Izumiya.
A little wave hit the town just after the big earthquake.
Japan has a lot of earthquakes and the number of earthquakes around Noto has been going up since the end of 2020. In the last three years, there have been over 500 small and medium earthquakes in this area. -
“Dreadful” scenes in Suzu town’s seaside area – Mayor
Per Reuters report, the quake damaged 1,000 homes in the coastal town of Suzu, and mayor Masuhiro Izumiya called the consequences “disastrous.
” Suzu, which has just 5,000 households, is near the epicenter of the New Year’s earthquake.
The quake also damaged a temple and several graves in the city, Japan’s NHK channel reported.
Aerial photos broadcast by NHK showed collapsed roofs and capsized boats in the city’s port.
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82-year-old widower’s home destroyed by an earthquake in Japan
As we approached the epicenter, we discovered isolated areas of damage â single-family homes reduced to rubble.
These are often old wooden houses that were not built to withstand such earthquakes.
We met Toshio Iwahama, 82, whose wooden house partially collapsed. He lives alone since his wife passed away and doesn’t know how he will pay to repair the house, which is now uninhabitable.
He told us that he always fears a big earthquake but hopes it won’t happen in his town.
Like everyone we spoke to, he said that although he had been through many earthquakes, he had never experienced one this strong.
We are trying to reach the worst affected town of Wajima, where more than a dozen people have died and we believe others are trapped in their homes. But all the roads leading in this direction seem to have broken down.
There are large cracks in the middle making them inaccessible.
This means that rescue teams also have difficulty accessing the area. Therefore, we are still trying to assess the extent of the damage as well as the number of people killed and trapped.
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48 people killed as earthquake in Japan destroys buildings and tears apart roads
The death toll in Japan’s powerful earthquake that collapsed houses and triggered a tsunami warning now stands at 48.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the earthquake had claimed many lives and they faced a “race against time” to save survivors.
About 1,000 rescue workers are searching for people they believe may be trapped under the rubble.
The Japanese military distributed supplies, including food, water and blankets, to those who had to flee their homes.
All tsunami warnings have now been lifted along the Sea of ââJapan, meaning there is no longer a risk of such an event.
President Joe Biden said the US is ready to provide all necessary aid.
More update on this story soon
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Shelters overnight for thousands after earthquake in Japan
Thousands of Japanese people had to spend the night in evacuation centers after a strong earthquake. Kyodo news agency reported that at least two people were believed to have died and the number of casualties was expected to rise in the coming days.
Dozens of buildings collapsed in several cities, leaving countless people trapped under rubble.
The magnitude 7. 6 earthquake occurred at around 4:10 p. m local time (07:10 GMT) on Monday.
Tsunami warnings were issued and then lowered. About 60 tremors were recorded after the first earthquake.
The extent of the damage was unlikely to be known until Tuesday morning, but significant infrastructure damage was evident.
National broadcaster NHK reported that the government of Suzu town, Ishikawa province, said a number of houses and electricity poles had collapsed.
According to utility provider Hokuriku Electric Power, major highways near the quake’s epicenter were closed and more than 36,000 homes were without power.
Former BBC Japan correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes – who was reporting from Taiwan – said hundreds of meters of the main highway between the towns of Toyama and Kanazawa were destroyed by a landslide.
Video from Uchinada, also in Ishikawa Prefecture, showed rippling and cracking road surfaces. Damage to Onohiyoshi Shrine in Kanazawa was also photographed.
Initially, a major tsunami warning was issued for the Noto coastal area in Ishikawa – near the quake’s epicenter – and authorities said waves could reach heights of 5 meters (16 feet).
According to local reports, this is the first such warning issued in Japan since 2011, when a powerful earthquake devastated the country’s northeast and caused waves up to 40 meters high.
The waves that actually crashed onto the Sea of ââJapan coast in Ishikawa on Monday were no more than a meter high.
The main warning was later downgraded to a simple warning and then a “warning”, NHK reported. Neighboring Niigata and Toyama prefectures were also placed on alert.
Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates intersect.
The constant threat of earthquakes has prompted Japan to develop one of the world’s most sophisticated tsunami warning systems. There are several nuclear power plants in the affected areas, but Japan’s nuclear agency said there was “no risk of radiation leaks” from these facilities.
South Korean and Russian weather agencies also issued tsunami warnings after the quake.
The 9. 0 magnitude earthquake that hit Japan in 2011 caused a tsunami that devastated coastal communities in the country’s northeast, killing nearly 18,000 people and displacing tens of thousands.
These tsunami waves caused a nuclear explosion at the Fukushima power plant, causing the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.
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Many spend night outside following earthquake in Nepal
In a faraway place in the hills of western Nepal, many people had to stay outside in the cold because their homes got damaged by a big earthquake on Friday.
157 individuals lost their lives and over 300 people sustained injuries during the earthquake.
Officials are saying that the search and rescue missions are almost finished.
Right now, the main goal is to help homeless people find shelter and make sure they have the necessary supplies they need. But the teams that save people said to the BBC that they don’t have enough tents.
Many people who lost their homes slept outside or in makeshift tents in very cold weather last night.
One person who lost her sister in the earthquake talked about her sadness: “We have no choice but to live like this. ” We no longer have anything. There is nothing to eat and nowhere to live. My sister left our family. We need assistance.
Relief efforts are concentrated on the faraway areas of the two districts most affected by the 6. 3-magnitude earthquake – Jajarkot and Rukum West.
People are sharing stories about scary things that happened to them, amazing times when they were lucky to survive, times when they were almost hurt, and times when they lost loved ones.
Baljit Mahar is one of the people who lost their seven-year-old son.
“We couldn’t save him, but the rest of the family members were able to quickly leave when the earthquake woke us up,” Mahar told Reuters in the distant village of Chiuri in the hilly Jajarkot district.
He saved his son’s dead body from their collapsing mud and stone house.
Mahar said that all of his things and clothes are buried under the rubble, and he doesn’t have anything left.
Baljeet BK, another person who survived in Rukum, has asked the government for help in finding a place to live for the people who lost their homes.
There is no food to eat and nowhere to stay. People are living outside, exposed to the elements. We must remain in this chilly weather. “Whole houses have disappeared. ”
In the parts of Jajarkot that were hit the hardest by the earthquake, they are getting ready to cremate a large number of people who passed away.
People are feeling really sad because they’ve lost loved ones, and they’re also scared that more aftershocks might happen.
Officials in Jajarkot and West Rukum have advised people to not go back to their homes.
Over 250 smaller earthquakes have occurred in the area since Friday. According to a research center, there were six aftershocks that had magnitudes higher than 4.
The government of Nepal has agreed to receive aid from friendly countries and promised to rebuild the areas that were damaged within one year.
The government has also mentioned that they will give free medical care at the hospitals for the people who are hurt.
They told people to pay attention to fake phone calls that promise help. -
At least 129 people killed after deadly earthquake strikes Nepal, toppling homes
At least 129 people died in an earthquake in a faraway area of northwest Nepal on Friday night. Many buildings collapsed, and the number of victims might increase, according to officials.
The earthquake was 5. 6 on the scale used to measure earthquakes. It happened about 26 miles away from Jumla, Nepal, in Karnali province. The earthquake was not very deep, only 18 kilometers below the surface. The shaking was felt all the way in New Delhi, which is India’s capital.
The police spokesperson of Nepal, Kuber Kadayat, informed CNN that till now 129 people have been confirmed dead and 140 injured. This earthquake on Friday has been the deadliest one since 2015.
In Jajarkot district, which was near where the earthquake started, 92 people were found to be dead and 55 others got hurt. In a district close by called Rukam West, 37 people died and 85 people got hurt, according to Kadayat.
Videos from Reuters showed many houses in Jajarkot completely destroyed, with only piles of broken bricks and wood remaining.
Nepal has a lot of earthquakes because it is located where two big parts of the land, called tectonic plates, meet. This is also why there are big mountains there called the Himalayas.
In 2015, a very strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7. 8 happenedIt caused a lot of destruction to many homes and buildings in different parts of the country. Sadly, around 9,000 people died because of it. The earthquake also caused about $6 billion worth of damage.
Government officials said they were worried that the number of people killed or injured in the earthquake on Friday would increase. This is because they have not been able to communicate with the area near the center of the earthquake, which is about 500 kilometers (300 miles) away from the capital city Kathmandu. People in the hilly area near the center also felt the earthquake.
The official from Jajarkot district said that many people are hurt and there could be a lot of deaths too.
A lot of houses have fallen down and many others have cracks on them. Many people had to stay outside all night because they were too afraid to go inside their damaged homes after aftershocks happened.
Jajarkot district has around 190,000 people living in it, and the villages are spread out in the faraway hills. Photos released by the AFP news agency showed people who had survived coming together at the main hospital in Jajarkot.
Indiaâs leader, Narendra Modi, shared his sadness and sympathy with the family and friends of the people who died in the earthquake.
Modi expressed that he was very sad about the loss of lives and damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal. India supports and stands together with Nepal. We are prepared to offer any help that we can. We are thinking about the families who have lost loved ones and we hope those who are hurt get better soon. -
Moroccans demonstrate to call for additional earthquake relief
Many people in the town of Amizmiz in Morocco are angry at the government after an earthquake destroyed their homes. They have gathered in large numbers to show their disagreement.
Amizmiz, which is about 34 miles (55km) south of Marrakesh, was greatly affected by the earthquake that happened on 8 September.
This earthquake in Morocco was the worst in over 60 years. It caused the death of almost 3,000 people and made thousands more injured and homeless.
The people who live here are saying that the people in charge are taking too long to help them and not paying enough attention to them.
After the earthquake, officials set up temporary camps for families who had lost their homes. They also promised to give them money to help them rebuild their houses.
However, the people protesting are now saying that they can’t stay in the camps any longer because the conditions are getting worse. Rain and strong winds are hitting the area, and it’s getting colder as winter gets closer.
The protesters say that local authorities are not giving help to some people who lost their homes, like tents.
The protest happened on Tuesday even though the group that planned it, called Amizmiz Earthquake Victims’ Coordination, decided not to participate.
The group decided to leave because the local authorities promised to listen to their worries and try to solve them.
They said that the government had promised to help faster, by giving new tents to people who didn’t have any before, and replacing tents that were damaged by bad weather.
They also promised to make the camps cleaner and give the displaced people water and electricity.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI recently stated that he will provide 120 billion Moroccan dirhams ($11. 6 billion; ÂŁ94 billion) over the next five years to help rebuild the areas affected by the earthquake and assist the more than 4. 2 million people who have been impacted.
The plan promises to give 140,000 dirhams to each household whose home has completely collapsed and 80,000 dirhams to each household whose home has been partially damaged.
Earlier this month, the government announced that it has begun giving 2,500 dirhams every month to each household that has been affected. This will continue for a year as part of a cash relief program.
Morocco’s government received backlash from some people after they refused help from other countries following the earthquake, even though many people urgently needed assistance.
I believe it is a mistake to keep prioritizing independence and feeling proud of one’s country. This is not the right time to say no because the help is important, even rich countries accept assistance during disasters, activist Maati Mounjib said on the BBC Newsday show. -
Afghanistan records 3rd earthquake
A potent 6.3-magnitude earthquake has struck western Afghanistan, occurring just over a week after a series of strong earthquakes and aftershocks caused significant casualties and flattened entire villages in the same region.
According to the US Geological Survey, the latest earthquake had its epicenter approximately 21 miles (34km) outside Herat, the provincial capital, with a focus 5 miles beneath the surface.
Doctors Without Borders, an aid organization, reported two fatalities, and Herat regional hospital received over 100 individuals injured in Sunday’s earthquake.
Mohammad Zahir Noorzai, the head of the emergency relief team in Herat province, indicated that one person had lost their life, and nearly 150 others were injured. He also mentioned that casualty numbers might increase as they were yet to reach all affected areas.
Sayed Kazim Rafiqi, a 42-year-old resident of Herat city, described the unprecedented devastation, with most houses damaged and the population gripped by fear. In response, Rafiqi and others rushed to the hospital to donate much-needed blood.
âWe have to help in any way possible,â he said.
On October 7th, a series of earthquakes decimated entire villages in Herat, constituting one of the most devastating seismic events in the country’s recent history.
UN officials disclosed that over 90% of the casualties a week ago were women and children.
Taliban representatives stated that the prior quakes resulted in more than 2,000 fatalities throughout the province. The epicenter was located in Zenda Jan district, where UN statistics indicate that 1,294 people lost their lives, 1,688 sustained injuries, and every residence was razed.
The initial earthquake, coupled with numerous aftershocks and a subsequent 6.3-magnitude quake on Wednesday, laid waste to villages, reducing hundreds of mud-brick homes to rubble. Additionally, schools, healthcare facilities, and other vital structures in the villages succumbed to the powerful forces.
Following this devastation, little remained of the villages nestled in the region’s arid hills aside from debris and the somber proceedings of funerals. Survivors are grappling with the profound loss of family members, and in many locations, those who remain are outnumbered by volunteers who have arrived to assist in sifting through the wreckage and organizing mass burials.
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Second earthquake strikes Afghanistan in few days
A new strong quake with a magnitude of 6. 3 hit around 05:10 in the morning, local time (00:40 GMT), on Wednesday. It happened 28km (17 miles) north of the city Herat.
Over 100 people were hurt and taken to the hospital, according to health officials.
The bigger effect is still not certain, but a lot of people were sleeping outside because their houses got destroyed on Saturday.
Charitable organizations have reported that there is not enough blankets, food, and other essential items available.
A person who saw what happened in central Herat, where a few houses are still standing, said that she woke up shouting and quickly ran out of her house.
“I was very tired and slept deeply because I hadn’t slept in the days before,” she said to the BBC.
“I have never felt so near to dying,” she said. She explained that she ran without shoes to the edge of the city, where a lot of people have been sleeping in tents since the initial earthquake.
On Saturday morning, an earthquake happened in Zindajan, a rural area that is about 40km away from Herat.
Pictures from the villages show that the houses, which were not strong enough to survive the shaking, have been completely destroyed.
Afghanistan often experiences earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range. This happens because the country is located close to where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
“Video explaining the concept”
“I lost 11 members of my family,” said the person affected by the earthquake. -
Aid organisations warn of destruction from the earthquake in Afghanistan
International organizations that provide assistance from other countries are urgently trying to send aid to people who survived an earthquake in Afghanistan. The earthquake killed over 2,000 people and caused many more to be injured. This is a big problem because Afghanistan is already in a terrible state due to ongoing war and an economic crisis.
The big earthquake with a magnitude of 6. 3 happened on Saturday, not far from Herat city in Afghanistan. It occurred in the western province of Herat, which is the third largest province in the country.
It was a very powerful earthquake that happened in Afghanistan last year. It caused a lot of death and destruction, especially in the provinces of Paktika and Khost in the east, which share a border with Pakistan. Over a thousand people lost their lives during that tragic event.
Pictures taken by aid and rescue teams on the ground showed very large piles of broken pieces of buildings and rubble after they fell down.
Some people were digging in the remains to look for survivors while others gathered on the streets to stay safe from falling objects after the main earthquake.
Thamindri de Silva, who works for World Vision Afghanistan, said that the situation is even worse than we had thought. People in the destroyed villages are still trying very hard to save survivors from under the rubble, using only their hands.
Extra help from a team in Kabul came to assist, but there was only one hospital and it was very busy dealing with critical patients who were being sent to other private facilities.
We are doing our best to respond. People need immediate help with their health, water, food, shelter, and safety,” added de Silva.
Mark Calder, who works for World Vision Afghanistan and speaks up for their needs, told CNN that the recent earthquake was another terrible event for the Afghan people. This is especially difficult for them because they have already experienced many years of fighting, periods of no rain causing dryness, and an economy that has become very weak.
Calder said that the financial support from other countries has not been enough.
He said that organizations like ours can help people in need and assist with recovery. However, without support from international governments and donors, more people will need help, displacement will worsen, and lives will be lost.
We cannot ignore Afghanistan right now.
The spokesperson for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, said on Sunday that 2,053 people were killed. Additionally, 1,240 people were injured, and 1,320 houses were either completely or partially destroyed. However, some people are worried that the number of deaths might increase even more.
The UN Secretary-General, AntĂłnio Guterres, said that he stands with the Afghan people affected by the earthquake. He urged other countries to unite and help those who were already struggling before the disaster.
UN agencies and partners are providing more help and doing more work after the earthquake on Saturday. They are sending more teams to help with humanitarian efforts.
“We are working together with the governing authorities to quickly evaluate what they need and offer immediate help,” said spokesperson StĂ©phane Dujarric.
UNICEF, which is a part of the United Nations and helps children, has sent out 10,000 packages with hygiene supplies, 5,000 packages with things for families, 1,500 sets of warm clothes and blankets for winter, 1,000 big sheets of strong material, and basic items for homes to help the ongoing humanitarian work.
Teams are checking things on the ground and giving extra medicine and shelters to busy health clinics.
Siddig Ibrahim, who works for UNICEF in Afghanistan, told CNN that this is the worst earthquake the country has experienced in a long time.
Not having enough water is a big problem, especially for women and children.
“He said that Afghanistan is facing one of the most severe humanitarian and child rights problems in the world. ” “The whole world must not ignore or divert attention from the children in Afghanistan, especially at this critical time when they need assistance the most. ”
Save the Children said that the damage in Herat was very bad and expects that more people will die as bodies are found under the rubble.
Save the Children’s Afghanistan director, Arshad Malik, said that this situation is very bad and it adds more problems to the existing problems. “Even before this terrible event, Afghan kids were already going through a very difficult time because they didn’t have enough to eat. ”
We are working hard to help more children who are in need. We are providing things like healthcare, food, education, protection, shelter, clean water, and sanitation. We also help with food security and helping people make a living. But, we need help from donors to give the necessary aid to save lives.
Existing humanitarian programs will be affected and unable to continue if they do not receive immediate money, because the current funding they have is already stretched thin.
Afghanistan has been a very poor country in Asia for a long time and has experienced a lot of fighting for many years.
In August 2021, the Taliban took control again after being removed from power by US soldiers 20 years ago. This caused a lot of aid groups and NGOs to leave and stopped important aid programs.
The Taliban’s control made Afghanistan even more alone and made Washington and its allies stop giving money to the country. This made the economy even worse as it relies heavily on aid.
Last week, the World Bank said that two-thirds of families in Afghanistan are currently going through a lot of difficulties in sustaining their way of life. This makes it even more difficult for Afghan people to recover from earthquakes.
International aid organizations are saying that their ability to help during big disasters has been greatly affected by the Taliban taking control. They are asking for more immediate help from around the world, but only a few countries have said they will help publicly.
“Even before this earthquake, with recent floods and instability within the country, more than 29 million people in Afghanistan needed help from humanitarian organizations,” said Salma Ben Assia, director of the IRC.
The earthquake made things worse for communities that were already vulnerable. The upcoming winter will make things even worse for people who have been forced to leave their homes. This is especially dangerous for women and children, who are most at risk of being taken advantage of and mistreated when they are displaced.
Many people have lost their homes and belongings, leaving them without a place to live. – Arshad Malik from Save the Children.
The whole world must help the children and families in Herat who urgently need assistance. -
More than 2,000 people feared dead after powerful earthquake hit Afghanistan – Taliban government
Many people may have died after a strong earthquake happened in western Afghanistan, close to Iran.
As more information is received from rural areas, the number of people who have died is expected to increase. The Taliban, a government group, believes that the death toll could be greater than 2,000.
The strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6. 3 caused a lot of destruction and damage to at least 12 villages near the city of Herat on Saturday.
There were strong tremors after the main earthquake. People who survived the event were very scared because buildings were falling down all around them.
Rescue teams worked all night to search for people who were trapped under the collapsed buildings.
Many people got hurt. In a country with very limited and insufficient medical resources, hospitals are having a difficult time treating the injured. The UN and other organizations have started quickly bringing in urgent supplies.
The earthquake happened on Saturday at around 11:00 local time (06:30 GMT). It hit about 40km (25 miles) northwest of Herat.
The communities that are suffering the most are located far away and their houses are made of mud. “In the beginning, when the earthquake happened, all the houses fell down,” said Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Herat whose family lives in one of the villages, to AFP news agency.
“He said that the people who were in the houses got buried. ” We haven’t heard anything about some families.
The Taliban minister in charge of public health is going to Herat to see how much damage has been done. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that at least 465 homes had been completely destroyed.
Videos from Herat Central Hospital showed injured people connected to IV drips being treated outside the main building. This indicates a sudden and overwhelming need for emergency care.
Other pictures show the destruction in Injil district of Herat, where debris has blocked roads, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the affected areas.
“The situation was really bad, and I have never experienced anything like it,” said student Idrees Arsala to AFP. He was the last person to leave his classroom safely after the earthquakes started.
The city of Herat is about 120km (75 miles) away from the border of Iran. It is known as the cultural capital of Afghanistan. About 19 million people are thought to live in the province.
Afghanistan often experiences earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountains area because it is close to where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
Last year in June, there was a very big earthquake in the province of Paktika. It was a 5. 9 magnitude earthquake and it caused more than 1,000 people to die. It also made tens of thousands of people lose their homes and become homeless. -
Dozens feared dead after strong earthquake in Afghanistan
Many people are believed to have died when a strong earthquake occurred in western Afghanistan, close to the border with Iran.
Some people think that more people have died than what has been officially reported. On Saturday, a very strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6. 3 caused a lot of destruction in at least 12 villages close to the city of Herat.
There were strong shaking that happened after an earthquake. The survivors were very scared as the buildings fell down near them.
Rescue workers worked all night to find people who were stuck under the pile of debris.
Many people have gotten hurt.
In a country with very limited hospitals, it is difficult for them to take care of the injured patients. The UN and other groups have started to send urgent aid.
The earthquake hit an area about 40km (25 miles) away from Herat, in the north-west region. It happened at around 11:00 in the morning, according to the local time, which is 06:30 in the morning based on GMT. The earthquake occurred on Saturday.
We were at work when the building suddenly began to shake. The wall plaster started to come off and there were cracks in the walls. Some walls and parts of the building fell down, a resident named Bashir Ahmad said.
I cannot reach my family. “I feel really anxious and afraid, it was really frightening,” he said.
The public health minister of the Taliban is going to Herat to see how much damage has been caused.A video from Herat Central Hospital showed injured people getting medical treatment outside the main building using tubes connected to their bodies. This shows that there were too many injured people needing urgent care all at once.
Other pictures display destroyed areas in Herat’s Injil district where debris is blocking the roads, making it difficult to carry out rescue operations.
“The situation was really bad, and I have never experienced anything like it,” student Idrees Arsala told AFP. He was the last person to leave his classroom safely when the earthquakes started.
Herat is a city in Afghanistan that is known for its culture and is found 120km (or 75 miles) to the east of the Iranian border. It is thought that around 1. 9 million people live in the province.
Afghanistan often experiences earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range. This happens because it is located close to where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
Last year in June, the province of Paktika experienced a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 5. 9The earthquake caused over 1,000 deaths and many people lost their homes, leaving them without shelter. -
Moroccan earthquake: Earthquake job extremely difficult – firefighters
A team of firefighters from the UK went to Morocco to help after an earthquake. They said it was one of the hardest things they had ever done.
On September 8th, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6. 8 hit and caused the death of over 2,900 people. Additionally, more than 5,000 individuals were injured.
Four firefighters from Lincolnshire and a rescue dog were part of a team in the UK that searches and rescues people in emergencies.
Neil Woodmansey, a member of the team, said that it was a reminder of the facts for everyone involved.
Mr Woodmansey, along with his dog Colin and his colleagues Karl Keuneke, Darren Burchnall, and Ben Clarke, joined a team of 60 firefighters from 14 fire services in the UK.
The firefighter, who lives in Sleaford, has been helping rescue people in other countries for over 20 years. They said it was still a very important moment when they received the call.
“One moment, it’s a Saturday morning and you have your plans – I was going to Lincoln to have some drinks – and suddenly, you’re quickly packing your bags and flying off to Morocco to try and support and aid the people there,” he explained.
When we arrived, we went up the mountains and it was very hard.
‘Everything taken away’ can be rewritten as ‘Everything has been removed’ or ‘Everything has been taken. ‘
The middle point of the shaking was in the High Atlas Mountains, around 44 miles (71km) away from Marrakesh. The places that got hit the hardest were faraway villages and towns.
Mr Burchnall said it would take around five hours to get to the villages that were affected because the roads were blocked and the mountain paths were very narrow. Additionally, their efforts to reach faraway places were hindered by aftershocks.
Mr Woodmansey said that it was both thrilling and frightening.
“He said that Colin simply lay down and fell asleep, but the rest of us were somewhat anxious,” he said.
Mr Clarke, who works at Sleaford fire station, said the thing that affected him the most was how big the disaster was.
“In my job as a firefighter, we usually handle smaller emergencies like a house fire or a car accident. So going from that to dealing with a whole town, village, or even a larger area like a city or an entire country affected by an earthquake, it was one of the most impactful experiences for me personally, and I will always remember it. ”
Mr Keuneke, who usually works at Lincoln South fire station, said that many families have lost everything. This includes their houses and loved ones.
“We are accustomed to encountering individuals during their most difficult moments. However, witnessing it on such a large level was completely unique compared to anything I have previously encountered. ”
Mr Woodmansey said that the experience made him realize the truth and made him value what he already has. -
Turkish President hails UN for responding to earthquake
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is speaking at the moment. He expressed gratitude to the gathered world leaders for their support after the earthquake earlier this year.
Erdogan said that we cannot forget how sincerely the international community responded to our request for help, and that it was impossible to forget their quick response.
They are currently working to rebuild the cities that were destroyed by the earthquake. -
Earthquake recalls to mind 1960’s catastrophic Agadir tremor
The earthquake that struck central Morocco had a magnitude of 6.8, making it the largest to strike the region since before 1900.
But a lot of people were instantly brought back to mind the terrible earthquake that devastated Agadir in 1960.
A third of the city’s inhabitants, or at least 12,000 people, were killed when the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 5.7 on the Richter scale, struck the southern Moroccan city on February 29. It continues to be the country’s deadliest earthquake in recorded history.
Thousands of people were left buried beneath concrete and thousands of hotels, restaurants, stores, and the central market were devastated.
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Morocco earthquake: Authorities receive little amount of foreign assistance
As soon as people heard about the earthquake in Morocco on Friday, many countries offered to help. But the country has only accepted certain things so far.
The interior ministry of Morocco said on Sunday that they have received support from friendly countries such as Spain, Qatar, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates during this phase.
Spain has sent a group of people to search for and rescue others, along with dogs trained to sniff out people. The UK has also sent a similar group. However, some people are wondering why Morocco has been taking a long time to accept help from other countries.
French aid is ready to help, but the leader of a rescue charity called Secouristes sans Frontieres said their workers have not yet been given permission by the Moroccan government, according to the AFP news agency.
Algeria had stopped being friends with its neighboring country in North Africa two years ago. Now, Algeria is saying that it might send 80 rescue workers who are really skilled at saving people’s lives to help. These rescue workers are part of Algeria’s civil protection force.
There have been offers from different countries like the US, Tunisia, Turkey, and Taiwan.
However, the decision on which aid to accept is being complicated by concerns regarding a country’s control of its own affairs and international relationships.
France and Morocco have a tense relationship because French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to form a closer bond with Algeria, which has created a divide between the two countries.
But the French government is trying to make it seem like they were not ignored.
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that this controversy is not correctly focused or directed.
We are prepared to assist Morocco. “It’s a choice that belongs to Morocco, and they have the power to decide,” she stated.
Morocco wants to stay in charge and doesn’t want to take the chance of having many countries and organizations getting involved, which could lead to a messy situation.
“Officials there have said that not working together in these situations would be unhelpful. ”
However, Maati Mounjib, a government critic and activist, believes that this is not the right way to respond when urgent assistance is required, particularly in distant regions.
I believe that it is a mistake to strongly emphasize the importance of a country’s independence and patriotism. This is not the time to say no because the help is important, even rich countries accept outside help in disasters, he told the BBC’s Newsday program.
Hossam Elsharkawi, who is in charge of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Middle East and North Africa region, did not want to say negative things about the Moroccan authorities during this tough period. However, he believes that additional assistance from other countries will be necessary.
The group is giving money to the local Red Crescent branch. The IFRC also has special teams ready to go to the country.
We have been doing this for 30 years and know exactly what to do. They will require support from other countries.
“The local team has been doing a great job so far, but they are tired by the third day and they will need more assistance,” Mr. Elsharkawi stated -
Morocco earthquake: Many residence lack insurance coverage – Reinsurer say
The disparity between the extensive damage caused by the devastating earthquake in Morocco and the amount of property that is actually insured is expected to be significant, as many residences lack insurance coverage, according to the reinsurer Scor, which declared this on Sunday.
The human toll in the country, which experienced a powerful earthquake during the night from Friday to Saturday, has already reached at least 2,500 fatalities.
This catastrophe is made even more “tragic,” as stated by Thierry LĂ©ger, the CEO of Scor, a company that provides insurance for insurers in the event of large-scale disasters. In addition to the loss of numerous lives, many homes were not constructed to withstand earthquakes, making them challenging to insure against this risk.
According to Jean-Paul Conoscente, the CEO of the group’s property damage division, the percentage of insured individuals is lower than that in Turkey, which suffered an earthquake last February, and “the gap between economic damages and insured property should be more substantial.”
According to a preliminary estimate by the World Bank, the economic losses resulting from the disaster in Turkey and Syria are estimated at $34 billion.
However, Swiss Re, the reinsurer, has estimated the costs for insurance companies at $5.3 billion.
In Morocco , “the losses for insurers will be much lower than in Turkey” , underlined Mr. Conoscente, without providing a precise figure.
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Morocco earthquake: A race against time to salvage survivors
Moroccan rescue teams, along with international assistance, are in a race against time to locate survivors and aid hundreds left homeless by the earthquake that struck over 48 hours ago, claiming more than 2,100 lives.
On Sunday, Morocco announced its acceptance of offers from four countries, including Spain, Great Britain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, to dispatch search and rescue teams. These teams are now coordinating efforts with Moroccan counterparts, as confirmed by the Interior Ministry.
Spain has already sent 86 rescue personnel equipped with specialized search dogs, while a Qatari humanitarian flight departed from the Al-Udeid air base near Doha on Sunday evening.
Additional offers of assistance may be considered in the future, depending on evolving needs, as stated by the ministry.
Numerous countries, including France, the United States, and Israel, had extended offers of support to Morocco in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which has left 2,122 people dead and 2,421 injured according to the latest report.
While awaiting the arrival of foreign rescue teams, Moroccan authorities have initiated the setup of tents in the High Atlas region, where entire villages were leveled by the quake.
Apocalyptic landscape
Rescue personnel, volunteers, and military personnel are laboring to locate survivors and recover bodies from the debris, particularly in villages in the Al-Haouz province, the epicenter of the earthquake located south of the tourist city of Marrakech in central Morocco.
In Tikht, a small village near Adassil, a minaret and a few unpainted clay houses remain amidst an eerie and devastated landscape.
The 33-year-old inhabitant Mohssin Aksum complains, “Life is over here.” “The community is extinct.
Nearby, Moroccan security personnel are preparing graves for the deceased while others are erecting yellow tents for the earthquake’s homeless survivors.
The earthquake was the biggest ever recorded in Morocco and occurred late on Friday night. It reached a magnitude of 7 according to the Moroccan Center for Scientific and Technical Research and 6.8 according to the US Seismological Service.
Given the scope of the destruction, Marrakech people have flocked to hospitals to donate blood for the victims, and solidarity efforts are being planned there.
“We’re collecting food to help the areas affected by the earthquake,” Ibrahim Nachit, a member of the Draw Smile association, told AFP. The association is also planning to send a “medical caravan” to the worst-hit areas.
“I think the food supplies collected today should be able to support at least 100 families for a week”, added Abdeltif Razouki, vice-president of the association.
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More than 2,000 people killed as violent and unusual 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Morocco
The passing toll of uncommon and capable seismic earthquake in Morocco has risen to more than 2,000.
Inhabitants woken up by the tremors and the sounds of cherished ones shouting in dread fled their homes into the haziness on Friday night, where they remained until sunshine crouched in fear of post-quake tremors.
Crisis laborers are presently in a race against time to discover survivors in the midst of the rubble after the passing toll surged to at slightest 1,0372,012 with 2,059 individuals harmed â 1,404 of whom are said to be in a basic condition.
That number is anticipated to rise as rescuers battle to reach inaccessible ranges within the Chart book Mountains hit hardest.
The shudder was the greatest to hit Morocco in 120 a long time, and toppled buildings and dividers in antiquated cities made from stone and masonry not planned to resist shakes.
Most of the little town of Moulay Brahim, carved into a mountainside south of Marrakech, was dreadful after dividers disintegrated, windows smashed and more than a dozen homes were diminished to heaps of concrete and bowed metal shafts.
Ayoub Toudite said he had been working out with companions at the exercise center when âwe felt a gigantic shake like it was doomsdayâ.
In 10 seconds, he said, everything was gone.
âWe found casualties and individuals running and kids crying,â he told The Related Press. âWe never saw anything like this, 20 passings within the region, 30 injuries.â
Pictures broadcast by neighborhood media appeared a expanding gap within the side of a domestic and a car underneath the remains of a building brought down by the shake.
In Marrakech, the popular Koutoubia Mosque, built within the 12th century, endured harm, but the degree was not quickly clear.
Its 226-foot minaret is known as the âroof of Marrakechâ.
Moroccans moreover posted recordings appearing harm to parts of the celebrated ruddy dividers that encompass the ancient city, a UNESCO World Legacy location.
British writer Martin told Jay BBC Radio 4âs Nowadays program that he had fair settled into rest when it hit. âThe to begin with indicate was my spouse screaming,â he said.
âWe both had gestured off to rest â but not into profound rest â fair into that light sleep I assume ⊠and she begun shouting, and I fair sort of opened my eyes and couldnât very connect the dabs up.
âI couldnât very liken the circumstance, I couldnât envision I was within the center of an seismic tremor. Everything was vibrating, everything, the bed, the floor, the four walls.âPortion of their domestic was harmed by the seismic tremor, with a few of the brick dividers collapsing from the tremors.
Be that as it may, Mr Jay said he had built his room out of wood, which âprobablyâ spared his life.
He said specialists cautioned the open not to go back into their homes after the seismic tremor.
âThere were reports coming through on Moroccan media caution individuals not to go back into their homes,â he said. âThis was a across the country message that was put out by the specialists.
âSo, you have got this abnormal evening of nearly each single town in Morocco, most individuals are sitting on the ground exterior of their houses or flat pieces, since they were anxious of the moment seismic tremor which they anticipated would come two hours afterward.
âThank God it didnât.â
Prof Charge McGuire, Teacher Emeritus of Geophysical & Climate Hazards at UCL, said: âMorocco isn’t the primary put that comes to intellect when individuals think of seismic tremors, but they do happen.
âThis one, in any case, is particularly expansive for the locale â the greatest in more than 120 a long time â and, as the climbing passing toll demonstrates, dangerous.
âThe issue is that where dangerous seismic tremors are uncommon, buildings are basically not developed heartily sufficient to manage with solid ground shaking, so numerous collapse coming about in tall casualties.
âI would anticipate the ultimate death toll to climb into the thousands once more is known. As with any enormous tremor, consequential convulsions are likely, which is able lead to assist casualties and ruin look and rescue.â
World pioneers advertised to send in help or protect groups as condolences poured in from nations around Europe, a Gather of 20 summit in India, nations around Europe, the Mideast and past.
Turkeyâs president, whose nation misplaced tens of thousands of individuals in a gigantic seismic tremor prior this year, was among those proposing help. France and Germany, with huge populaces of individuals with Moroccan beginnings, moreover advertised to assist.
And the pioneers of both Ukraine and Russia communicated back for Moroccans.
The Moroccan government has not formally inquired for offer assistance, a step required in arrange for exterior protect groups to be brought in.
The US Topographical Study said the shake had a preparatory size of 6.8 when it hit at 11.11pm nearby time, with shaking that kept going a few seconds.
It detailed a size 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes afterward.
The epicenter of Fridayâs tremor was close the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Area, generally 43 miles south of Marrakech.
The USGS said the epicenter was 11 miles underneath the Earthâs surface, whereas Moroccoâs seismic office put it at seven miles down. Such shallow shakes are more unsafe.
Beginning reports propose harms and passings were extreme all throughthe Marrakech-Safi locale, which more than 4.5 million individuals call domestic, concurring to state figures.
Seismic tremors are generally uncommon in North Africa. Lahcen Mhanni, Head of the Seismic Checking and Caution Division at the National Organized of Geophysics, told 2M TV that the seismic tremor was the most grounded ever recorded within the mountain locale.
In 1960, a size 5.8 tremor struck close the Moroccan city of Agadir and caused thousands of passings.
The Agadir shudder incited changes in development rules in Morocco, but many buildings, especially provincial homes, are not built to resist such tremors.
In 2004, a 6.4 size seismic tremor close the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima cleared out more than 600 dead.
Fridayâs tremor was felt as distant absent as Portugal and Algeria, concurring to the Portuguese Established for Ocean and Environment and Algeriaâs Gracious Defense organization, which oversees emergency response. -
Morocco’s earthquake death toll increases from 628 to 820
Moroccan state TV said that around 820 people were reported dead in the earthquake, according to information from the interior ministry.
In the past, Morocco experienced some really big earthquakes, including one that happened in 2004.
A strong earthquake happened in al-Hoceima in the north-east of Morocco and it caused the death of 628 people.
In 1960, a very strong earthquake happened in Agadir and it caused the death of 12,000 people.
That might show us how many people could get hurt or killed in this earthquake.The centre of the earthquake last night was in the Atlas Mountains. There are many small villages that are far away and hard to get to. It might be a long time before we find out how bad this big disaster is.
The event has cause the British Airways to switch the airplane they use for the Marrakesh route. This change will be helpful in case UK tourists are stuck and need to comeback home quickly due to an emergency.
The airline has talked to all of its customers in Morocco to make sure they are okay.
“We are keeping a close eye on the situation and if customers have plans to travel to or from Marrakesh within the next two weeks, they can change their dates for free. “
The earthquake did not change BA’s regular flight schedule.
US President Joe Biden has shown his feelings of care and sorrow for the people affected by an earthquake. Heal so mentioned that the US is prepared to offer any help that might be needed.
He said he feels very sad about the earthquake in Morocco, which caused many people to die and a lot of destruction.
President Xi Jinping of China has sent a message of sympathy to Morocco, according to state media. -
‘It was complete chaos’ – earthquake survivors
The earthquake in Morocco happened at night when most people were already sleeping. But the earthquake, which was measured at 6. 8, quickly caused people to leave their homes in extreme fear.
A smaller earthquake, measuring 4. 9 magnitude, happened 19 minutes later.
More than 600 people have died, but the exact number of fatalities is still uncertain. The earthquake started in the High Atlas Mountains, but many people died in Marrakesh, which is about 44 miles from the epicentre.
Abdelhak El Amrani, a 33-year-old resident of Marrakesh, said to the AFP news agency, “We experienced a strong shaking, and I understood it was an earthquake. I saw buildings that looked like they were moving.
After that, I stepped outside and saw many people gathered there. Everyone was very surprised and scared. The kids were sobbing and the parents were extremely upset.
Michael Bizet, a person from France, who has three buildings in the old part of Marrakesh, said to AFP: “I believed my bed was going to float away. ” I walked outside with only some of my clothes on and quickly went to visit traditional Moroccan houses called riads.
“It was a complete mess, a true disaster, complete craziness. ”
British journalist Martin Jay, who lives in Morocco, said that he was woken up because he heard people screaming.
He said on BBC Radio 4’s Today show: “The first sign was when my wife started screaming. We both fell asleep, but not deeply. We were just in a light sleep, I guess. She began to shout loudly, and I slowly woke up but couldn’t understand what was happening.
“I didn’t fully understand the situation, and I couldn’t believe I was experiencing an earthquake. ”
Everything was shaking, all the things in the room – the bed, the floor, and the walls were moving back and forth.
He said that people were told not to go back to their houses.
So, in Morocco, there was a strange evening where almost everyone in the towns was sitting on the ground outside their houses or apartment buildings. They were scared because they believed another earthquake would happen two hours later. Thank goodness it didn’t happen.Fayssal Badour, who lives in Marrakesh, was driving when the earthquake happened at 11:11 PM local time.
“I stopped and realized that it was a complete disaster,” he said to the agency. “The loud yelling and weeping were extremely difficult to endure. ”
There are ongoing attempts to rescue people, and many buildings are badly damaged.
Montasir Itri, who lives in a mountain village called Asni near the center of the earthquake, said that our neighbors are trapped under the collapsed buildings and people are doing their best to save them using what resources are available in the village.
Houda Outassaf was walking in Jemaa el-Fna Square in Marrakesh when the ground suddenly started shaking.
“He told AFP that it was an incredible feeling,” he said. “We are okay and unharmed, but I am still feeling extremely surprised and unsettled. ”
I lost at least 10 people from my family who passed away. I can hardly believe it, because I was with them just two days ago.
Tourists really like visiting the old city of Marrakesh, and that’s why thousands of them go there every year.
Lorella Palmer, a woman from Britain who was on vacation there, said to BBC News: “The room suddenly started moving. ”
“She said that your brain doesn’t quickly understand what is happening until the picture frames and bed begin to shake. ” -
More than 600 people killed in a violent and rare earthquake in Morocco
Local reports indicate that a powerful earthquake took place in Morocco on Friday night, resulting in the tragic loss of life for a minimum of 632 individuals. Over 300 people were also injured.
People who live in Marrakech, which is the closest big city to the center of the event, reported that certain buildings in the old city, a place recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, had fallen down.
Moroccan TV showed pictures of a mosque tower that had fallen down. The tower caused rubble to fall onto cars and damage them.
Worried families gathered in the streets or huddled on the sidewalk, some holding their children, blankets, or other things, afraid of more aftershocks.
A very strong earthquake destroys buildings in Marrakech, Morocco.
Rescue workers searched for people alive in the remains of buildings, using their bright yellow vests to light up the dark scene at night.
The earthquake caused a big hole in a house, and a car was almost buried under the pieces of a collapsed building.
Baskets, buckets, and clothes were visible among scattered rocks in the remains of a building.
Montasir Itri, a person who lives in the mountain village of Asni close to the center, said that most houses in the village were harmed.
He said that our neighbors are trapped under the collapsed building and people in the village are working really hard to save them using whatever they can.
To the west, close to Taroudant, a teacher named Hamid Afkar said that he had to leave his house because of the earthquake and could still feel smaller tremors afterwards.
The ground moved for about 20 seconds. “He said that as he quickly went downstairs from the second floor, doors opened and closed on their own. ”
Morocco’s geophysical center reported that a strong earthquake happened in the Ighil area of the High Atlas. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7. 2
The earthquake in the US is measured to be 6. 8 in magnitude, and it was relatively close to the surface, about 11. 5 miles deep
Ighil is a place with mountains and small villages where people farm. It is located about 40 miles in the southwest direction from Marrakech. The earthquake happened a little after 11pm nearby.
The recent earthquake in Morocco is the most deadly one since another earthquake happened in 2004 near Al Hoceima in the northern Rif mountains, causing the death of over 600 people.
More pictures shared on the internet displayed people running and shouting near the famous Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, which was built a long time ago.
The news in Morocco said that the mosque got damaged, but we don’t know how bad it is yet. The 226-foot tall tower in Marrakech is called the ‘roof of Marrakech’.
Moroccan people shared videos of the damaged red walls around the old city in Marrakech, which is a special place recognized by UNESCO.
The leader of a town close to where the earthquake happened said that many houses in nearby towns were destroyed or severely damaged, and some areas lost power and had blocked roads.
Abderrahim Ait Daoud, who is in charge of Talat NâYaaqoub, said that authorities are trying to make the roads in Al Haouz Province clear so that ambulances and aid can reach the affected people. However, the villages in the mountains are far apart, so it will take some time to know how much damage has occurred.
Local news sources said that the roads going to the mountain area near the center were full of cars and blocked with rocks that had fallen, which made it harder for rescuers to reach the area quickly.
Earthquakes don’t happen very often in North Africa.
Lahcen Mhanni, who is in charge of monitoring earthquakes, said on 2M TV that the earthquake in the mountain region was the biggest one ever observed.
In 1960, a big earthquake happened close to the city of Agadir in Morocco and many people died.
The earthquake in Agadir caused Morocco to make changes in the rules for construction. However, many buildings, especially rural homes, are not made strong enough to handle these kinds of earthquakes.
In 2004, a very strong earthquake happened near the city of Al Hoceima by the Mediterranean Sea. It caused over 600 people to die.
The earthquake on Friday could be felt in Portugal and Algeria, as reported by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria’s Civil Defense agency, which is in charge of emergency response. -
Northern Ethiopia, Eritrea shaken by an earthquake
On Tuesday evening, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck northern Ethiopia and the neighboring Eritrea.
As of now, there have been no reports of casualties or significant damage.
The earthquake was felt in various towns within northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region, including the capital, Mekelle, as reported by Tigray TV.
Solomon Maesho, a senior Tigray official, mentioned that all districts near the Eritrean border experienced the tremors.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Eritrean town of Irafayle, according to Eritrea’s information minister.
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One person confirmed dead in South Africa’s ‘earthquake-like’ gas explosion
On July 19, 2023, Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, experienced a massive gas explosion that wreaked havoc similar to that of an earthquake. Streets were torn apart, structures were destroyed, and vehicles were thrown into the air by the force of the blast.According to a BBC report, one person lost their life, and 48 others sustained injuries in the incident that occurred on Wednesday night.
Authorities in the Gauteng province are still investigating the cause of the explosion, but initial suspicions point to a possible rupture of underground gas pipes.
Panyaza Lesufi, the premier of Gauteng province, stated on Thursday that 12 of the injured individuals are currently receiving medical treatment at the hospital. Several streets in Johannesburg have been closed to traffic, and emergency services remain on-site to assess the damage and evacuate people as needed.
Witnesses reported feeling the ground shake and hearing loud bangs just before a section of Breet Street collapsed, creating a vertical split in the road.
The aftermath of the explosion revealed around 20 vehicles lying on the sides of the street, severely damaged by the force of the blast.
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7.2 earthquake occurs off the coast of southern Alaska
An earthquake of magnitude 7.2 that occurred late on Saturday off the coast of Alaska has prompted the publication of a tsunami warning, according to authorities.
The US Tsunami Warning Centre reports that the earthquake occurred on Saturday night at 2:48 a.m. ET at a depth of 13 miles offshore, approximately 55 miles southwest of Sand Point, Alaska.
From Unimak Pass to Kennedy Entrance, Alaska saw a brief tsunami warning following the earthquake, which was later changed to a tsunami advisory. The advisory stated that there is no tsunami concern for other Pacific coasts in the US and Canada.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory provided a threat notice for the Shishaldin volcano after it sent up a plume of ash earlier Saturday, according to a social media post.
There is a âwatchâ currently in effect for the Shishaldin volcano. According to the observatory, seismic tremor aptitudes began to increase at around 5 p.m. local.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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Suspected earthquake hits Twifo Mampong in the Central Region
Residents of Twifo Mampong, a farming community in the Central Region, were taken by surprise when a sudden occurrence suspected to be an earthquake struck some acres of their farmlands, according to a report by UTV News.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, July 7, 2023, resulted in the destruction of farmlands belonging to residents in the area. Cracks emerged on the land’s surface, and certain areas collapsed, causing significant damage to several acres of cocoa farms.
The residents had invested countless hours and resources into cultivating their cocoa farms that had been in good shape for generations, but Friday’s incident has dealt a devastating blow to the community.
Residents strongly believe that the occurrence is a direct consequence of the torrential rains that have been incessantly pouring in the area this year.
They, however, expressed relief that it did not occur near their homes; rather, the destructive event took place on their farmlands.
They acknowledged that if the calamity had struck their homes instead, the consequences would have been far more severe.
The destruction of their farms, although disheartening, according to the farmers was a more manageable situation compared to the potential loss of their personal shelters and the disruption of their daily lives.
Despite being affected economically and are now faced with the challenge of rebuilding their lost farmlands, they maintain a sense of gratitude that their homes remain intact and their families are safe.
While the District NADMO director for the area confirmed receiving reports of the incident, he is yet to visit the site to assess the extent of the damage.
Authorities are still working to determine the exact cause of the occurrence and its implications for the community. It is anticipated that they may also assess potential concerns related to air quality and the possibility of aftershocks, if the residentsâ diagnosis is accurate.
The subject of earthquakes became a major topic in the first quarter of this year in Turkey and Syria with what is adjudged as one of the deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century.
Following this, there were several conversations in various countries about earthquake preparedness. One of such conversations resulted in the Head of the Earthquake Monitoring Division at the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GSSA), Nicholas Opoku, warning that Ghanaians should start bracing themselves for a possible earthquake following the frequent earth tremors Ghana has been experiencing in the past five years.
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Staffordshire struck by 3.3 magnitude earthquake
A small earthquake is thought to have occurred in Staffordshire on Wednesday night as a result of the ‘almighty boom’ that caused homes to shake.
Around 8.20 p.m. last night, Stoke-on-Trent and the neighbouring districts felt a tremor with a magnitude of 3.3.
It easily outperformed two 1.8 magnitude tremors felt on the Isle of Mull in May as the greatest of 21 earthquakes to strike the UK in the previous two months.
BGS said it had received reports from around the area on Wednesday night, mainly from within 20km (12.5 miles) of the epicentre, describing âan initial rumbling, then a bangâ with what âfelt more like a shunt, like something had hit somethingâ.
Mark Begg, 30, told reporters he was at home in Uttoxeter when he felt âa very large shakeâ.
He said he checked âaround the house to see if I could see anythingâ and âafter noticing there were no signs of damage I concluded it was most likely a mini earthquakeâ.
Tom, 38, in Cheadle, Staffordshire, said: âI was sitting watching an episode of Only Connect with my wife on YouTube and as we opened another bottle of wine the whole house shook.
âI thought either one of the children had fallen out of bed or something else had happened.â
The BGS says it detects and locates between 200 and 300 earthquakes in the UK each year.
Between 20 to 30 earthquakes annually are felt by people with the others only recorded by sensitive instruments.
One woman, in Blythe Bridge, told StokeonTrentLive: âI was relaxing in the bath when there was an almighty noise and the house seemed to shake â I honestly thought a lorry had hit the house.
âMy kids came running as did the dog and I jumped out the bath. Thankfully there doesnât seem to be any damage.â
Another resident, in Biddulph, said: âI was working at my desk and it started shaking. I thought it was the neighbours next door at first.
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South Africa: Johannesburg feels tremors after 5.0 magnitude quake
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that Johannesburg, South Africa, was shaken on Sunday morning by an earthquake of a 5.0 magnitude.
The USGS said the earthquake occurred at 0038 GMT at a depth of 10 km (6 miles).
Some Johannesburg residents reported feeling tremors.
“Earth tremor in Johannesburg. Longest and strongest I have felt! Went on for about 30 seconds, it felt like,” one resident wrote on Twitter.
Security risk and crisis management consultancy Crisis24 said there were no reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake.
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12 dead after earthquake hits Pakistan, Afghanistan
Large portions of Pakistan and Afghanistan were shaken by a strong earthquake that have left at least 12 people dead and more than 200 injured.
Buildings were damaged by the 6.5-magnitude earthquake, which also caused landslides and forced residents to flee into the streets.
It happened on Tuesday night and was centered in a hilly area in northern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border.
India was affected by the tremors coming from the isolated Jurm valley.
“It was a terrifying tremor. I had never felt such a tremor before in my life,” Kabul resident Khatera told AFP news agency after rushing out of her fifth-storey apartment.
Nine of the confirmed deaths were reported in the valley region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.
Three others were killed in Afghanistan, the country’s health ministry spokesman said. A child was among those killed in the Laghman province near the country’s border with Pakistan, AFP reported.
Many families had been out of their homes celebrating the Persian New Year or Norwuz when the quake hit.
But the damage found so far had been less than feared, emergency workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told AFP.
However the remoteness and rugged terrain of affected areas is likely to slow relief and rescue work.
Many in the affected regions braved near-freezing temperatures to sleep outside after the quake – fearing aftershocks. Some had dashed out of their homes barefoot when they felt the shaking.
In the capital of Islamabad, a vast multi-storey residential block was evacuated after huge cracks appeared in the building.
Phone lines have been affected, and in Pakistan the highway in the worst-hit Swat area has been blocked by landslides.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked disaster agencies to take emergency measures to help people.
Tremors were felt over a 1,000-km area that spans India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
Earthquakes are more likely in this region because it lies at the juncture of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
In June last year more than 1,000 people were killed after a 5.9-magnitude quake struck Afghanistan’s Paktika province, the country’s deadliest in nearly a quarter of a century.
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Southern Ecuador earthquake kills at least 12
A strong earthquake that hit Ecuador’s southern coast has left at least 12 people dead.
Following the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck at around noon local time, buildings have been damaged in a number of cities (17:00 GMT).
The El Oro province in the south was hardest hit, and emergency services have reported that there are still individuals trapped in fallen homes there.
Eleven deaths were in El Oro and one in Azuay province, authorities said.
Machala and Cuenca were among the cities that suffered damage to buildings and vehicles, as emergency services rushed to help people.
The epicentre was near Balao, about 50 miles (80km) from Ecuadorâs second-largest city, Guayaquil, where about three million people live.
âI went out into the street because I saw people starting to run in panic, getting out of their cars,â Magaly Escandon, a business owner in Cuenca, told the AFP news agency.
President Guillermo Lasso asked Ecuadoreans to remain calm as officials assess the damage.
âEmergency teams are mobilising to offer all their support to those who have been affected,â he said.
Mr Lassoâs office also confirmed that injured people were being treated in hospital, but did not offer any further details.
Several roads have been blocked by landslides, while several homes, educational buildings and health centres have been damaged, authorities said.
One person was reported killed in the city of Cuenca after a wall collapsed onto their car, while three people died when a security camera tower came down on JambelĂ Island.
There have also been reports of the earthquake being felt in several other cities, including Manabi, Manta and the capital Quito.
This is the strongest quake to hit Ecuador since 2016, when nearly 700 people died and thousands were injured.
Officials in Peru say the quake was felt in northern regions of the country, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Source: BBC
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13 dead in Turkey after floods in earthquake-affected provinces
Floods caused by torrential rains have hit two Turkish provinces devastated by last month’s earthquakes, killing at least 13 people and exacerbating the misery of thousands who have been displaced, according to officials.
According to Turkish media, the floods on Wednesday killed 11 people in Sanliurfa, which is about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the Syrian border. According to reports, two people died in nearby Adiyaman, including a one-year-old child.
A number of other people were reported missing.
The two people died in Adiyaman when surging waters swept away a container home in the town of Tut where a group of earthquake survivors was living, Governor Numan Hatipoglu said. Four people were reported missing.
Rescuers found the bodies of five Syrian nationals inside a flooded basement apartment in neighbouring Sanliurfa province and retrieved two other bodies inside a van that was trapped at an underpass.
JUST IN đš Massive floods hit Sanliurfa, Turkey – Streets turned into lake. pic.twitter.com/QrokodB1wn
— Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N) March 15, 2023Four other people were killed and two firefighters were reported missing, Sanliurfa Governor Salih Ayhan told HaberTurk television.
Several people were evacuated from a drenched campsite where earthquake survivors were sheltering in tents. Patients were also evacuated from a hospital, HaberTurk reported.
Television footage from Sanliurfa showed floodwaters surging along a street and sweeping away cars.
Turkeyâs disaster management agency said more than a dozen professional divers were involved in the rescue efforts in each of the two provinces.
The powerful earthquakes that struck parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6Â killed more than 52,000 people, the vast majority in Turkey.
More than 200,000 buildings in Turkey either collapsed or were severely damaged.
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Turkey’s Red Crescent condemned for selling tents to charities than donating them to earthquake victims
After it was discovered that the Red Crescent group in Turkey sold tents to a charity rather than giving them to people in need following the devastating earthquake that claimed more than 44,000 lives earlier this month, legislators and civilians attacked the organization.
The Turkish Red Crescent sold 2,050 tents to the AHBAP charity organization for 46 million Turkish liras (about $2.4 million), according to both organizations, as people were pleading with the government for shelters to sleep in during the bitter cold in the immediate wake of the earthquake.
AHBAP, a well-known charity in the country, said it was desperate to acquire tents and couldnât find any to deliver to people in need, so made a decision to purchase from the Red Crescent, which is known in Turkey as Kizilay.
âOur friends had a meeting with Kızılay Ăadır ve Tekstil A.Ć, which is a subsidiary of Kızılay. We immediately signed the contract for the tents that we learned had 2,050 tents in hand, and the next morning we sent 2,050 tents to the earthquake zone,â AHBAP wrote in a tweet.
âSince the earthquake affected 10 provinces and the destruction was at an extraordinary level, the existing stocks of all tent manufacturers in our country could not meet the grievances of our citizens. The companies we contacted at that time did not have tents that we could send to the earthquake zone that morning. They were able to make them within a week at the earliest,â AHBAP added.
President of The Red Crescent, Kerem Kınık, told CNNâs sister network CNN Turk Monday that he was not aware of the sale, adding that it was the decision of his staff to sell the tents. He said if he was aware of the situation, he would have suggested giving them away.
However, a day earlier, on Sunday, Kınık wrote in a tweet, â@Ahbap and @Red Crescentâs cooperation is moral, rational, and legal. Anyone who claims otherwise either does not understand the issue or is malicious.â
Haluk Levent, a singer who founded AHBAP, wrote in a tweet Monday that his charity not only bought tents but also purchased â30 thousand units of food from Kızılay Lojistik A.Ć., which each one would supply 3 meals for a family of 4 and does not expire for a year.â
âIn total, we purchased 108 million Turkish Liras worth of food from five different suppliers. 14 million of this (around $742,000) we bought from Kızılay Lojistik A.Ć.,â Levent also wrote.
Kınık also wrote on his Twitter account on Monday: âPUBLIC DISCLOSURE. The Red Crescent Society delivers the donations it receives to those in need, it certainly does NOT sell it. The subject in the press is the activities of our companies specialized in the field of humanitarian aid, which generates sustainable income for the Red Crescent.â
The revelations have attracted criticism in Turkey. Ahmet Davutoglu, who was formerly prime minister under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganâs AK Party, criticized the Red Crescent on Twitter, writing: âRed Crescent cannot sell tents while people are desperately waiting for tents on the street. Those tents should have been delivered to the people of the region free of charge. Itâs called ignorance, losing your mind. Our country and our noble nation do not deserve this.â
Meral AkĆener, the leader of Turkeyâs opposition IYI Party, added: âThe Turkish Red Crescent was established with the understanding âto protect the dignity of people and society with the power of goodness, to increase their resilience and to work to relieve their sufferingâ; With the power of money, you have condemned people to an understanding that leaves them alone and empties them. Shame on you!â
In the aftermath of the earthquake, many people including citizens, journalists, and opposition party members accused the Turkish government not only of failing to distribute tents and food to earthquake regions but also criticized it for not having enough teams for operations to rescue the survivors.
During a news conference on Monday, President Erdogan asked to be pardoned for delays in aid and rescue. âDue to the weather and road conditions, we could not carry out the work we wanted in Adıyaman for the first few days, I ask your pardon for this. We are aware of everything, no one should doubt that we will do what is necessary,â he said.
Last week, the Turkish government also announced that it will start some rebuilding in quake zones amid criticism from engineers and architects. Turkeyâs Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change minister Murat Kurum announced that excavation has begun for 885 houses in the earthquake region.
However, Turkeyâs Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) warned about future problems that could arise from building houses in a hasty manner.
Emin Koramaz, chairman of the TMMOBâs Board wrote in his column at BirGĂŒn, an independent newspaper, that âevery project that will be implemented without making new geological investigations, updating the ground surveys, and preparing the city plans in accordance with the earthquake after the earthquake means carrying the current earthquake risk to the future and putting peopleâs lives at risk.â
Some social media users also criticized the building efforts, arguing that continuous aftershocks in the region would damage the foundations of the new buildings.
President Erdogan, who faces a general election in the coming months, has promised new homes for the people who were affected by the earthquake and said that theyâll be completed in a year.
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Football supporters throws thousands of teddies onto pitch for Turkish earthquake survivors
During a game in Istanbul, football supporters tossed tens of thousands of soft toys and teddy bears onto the field in support of the young earthquake survivors in Turkey.
Players applauded and showed signs of emotion as Besiktas fans threw a sea of plush toys from the stands.
They held the “This toy is my friend” event on Sunday during their Turkish Super League match against Fraport TAV Antalyaspor.
In order to depict the time the initial 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey on February 6, the game was paused after four minutes and 17 seconds.
More than 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria have now died with millions displaced after a series of devastating quakes hit the region.
Players rushed onto the pitch to collect the toys before they are shipped to people in need.
Besiktas said in a statement: âOur fans organised a meaningful event called âThis toy is my friendâ during the match in order to give morale to the children affected by the earthquake.
âThe fans threw scarves, berets and plush toys to be given as a gift to the children in the earthquake region.â
Fans throw toys onto the pitch during the Turkish Super League soccer match between Besiktas and Antalyaspor (Picture: AP) 
Fans holding teddies to donate to quake victims (Picture: Getty) Defender Tayyib Sanuc said: âThere are more important things than football.
âWe are going through difficult times as a country.
âTogether we will heal the wounds.
âOur fans held a meaningful event â I was very touched.â
Almost 240,000 people have been deployed to help rescue efforts in 11 quake-hit provinces in Turkey.
A sea of teddies and soft toys on the pitch in Istanbul (Picture: Getty) Central Turkey was hit by another 5.5 major earthquake on Saturday as it desperately tries to rebuild previously destroyed homes.
Last Monday a 6.4 quake hit parts of Turkey and Syria already devastated by massive tremors.
Turkey and Syria rocked again by 6.3M earthquake
The death toll has eclipsed Turkeyâs previous worst ever earthquake in 1939, which claimed the lives of 33,000 people.
People in the UK have raised ÂŁ100million towards an appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee, hailed as one of the âlargest and fastestâ responses to a disaster.
Funds that initially supported the search and rescue operation are now being used to pay for food, water, temporary shelters and warm clothing.
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Turkey detains roughly 200 people for allegedly using inferior building materials
Following the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey earlier this month, the Justice Ministry in Turkey said that over 200 persons have been detained for alleged inadequate building construction.
After the earthquake on February 6 struck, over 50,000 people died in Turkey and Syria.
After buildings completely fell or suffered severe damage as a result of the earthquakes, the government reported that 626 people were “suspects.”
While authorities are still looking for others, several of the suspects perished in the earthquake.On Saturday, Turkeyâs Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said evidence had been collected at thousands of buildings.
More than 5,700 buildings in Turkey have collapsed, according to the countryâs disaster agency, and questions have been asked about the integrity of structures in some areas of the affected regions.
âThe thing that strikes mostly are the type of collapses â what we call the pancake collapse â which is the type of collapse that we engineers donât like to see,â said Mustafa Erdik, a professor of earthquake engineering at Bogazici University in Istanbul. âIn such collapses, itâs difficult â as you can see â and a very tragic to save lives. It makes the operation of the search and rescue teams very difficult.â
Erdik also told CNN the images of widespread destruction and debris indicates âthat there are highly variable qualities of designs and construction.â He says the type of structural failures following an earthquake are usually partial collapses. âTotal collapses are something you always try to avoid both in codes and the actual design,â he added.
After previous disasters, building codes were tightened â which should have ensured that modern builds would withstand large tremors. Yet many damaged buildings across the stricken region appeared to have been newly constructed. Residents and experts are now questioning if the government failed to take the necessary steps to enforce building regulations.
Yasemin Didem Aktas, structural engineer and lecturer at University College London, told CNN that while the earthquake and its aftershocks constituted âa very powerful event that would challenge even code compliant buildings,â the scale of damage indicates that buildings didnât meet safety standards.
âWhat we are seeing here is definitely telling us something is wrong in those buildings, and it can be that they werenât designed in line with the code in the first place, or the implementation wasnât designed properly,â Didem Aktas said.
Several critics are also questioning the Turkish governmentâs periodic approval of so-called âconstruction amnestiesâ â essentially legal exemptions that, for a fee, forgave developers for constructing projects without the necessary safety requirements.
The amnesties were designed to legalize older sub-standard buildings that had been erected without the proper permits. They also didnât require developers to bring their properties up to code.
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South Wales feels an earthquake as buildings shake and houses “rumble.”
A 4.6 earthquake that rattled homes Wednesday night abruptly woke residents in South Wales.
Locals equated the unsettling noise to “rumbling,” while some likened it to an approaching automobile.
On the magnitude scale, it is estimated to have measured between 3.8 and 4.2.
Just before midnight, the earthquake was initially noticed.
A small earthquake was recorded just before midnight (Picture: Metro.co.uk) The British Geological Survey website showed the earthquake with a magnitude of 3.7 (Picture: PA) Cath Willcox, from Cwm in Blaenau Gwent, told Sky News: âI felt the earthquake and was really concerned. It made our house shake, it was loud and the rumbling from it was clearly felt.
âWeâre four to five miles from the epicentre of the earthquake.â
She added: âThe village is in Cwm Ebbw Vale. An old mining village used to lots of action in the height of coal mining. This is not a wake up call we wanted.â
The epicentre of the earthquake was around 12km from Abertillery at a depth of around 2km â which is said to be âvery shallowâ.
Many had taken to social media to share their confusion.
Aysia Bibi wrote: âEarthquake in wales!! Just shook me out of bed.â
The Time for Geography account added: âWe had an earthquake last night in south Wales. Our team in Cardiff were woken by the shaking. Did anyone else feel it?â
Yesterday, a similarly small quake was felt in Cornwall.
A number of residents living between Redruth and Mabe reported feeling their house âshakeâ at around 6.30am.
It has been confirmed by VolcanoDiscovery that the earthquake happened around 9.3km south of Redruth at 6.31am.
Although its magnitude is said to be âunknownâ, the depth of the earthquake was 10km and the strength of the shaking was described as âvery weakâ.
One resident said: âI heard a rumble and thought it was thunder.â
A fourth said: âIt sounded like a great big truck was coming towards the house (even though we donât live by a road) and it got louder then the house shook and it went away.â
Another said: âI thought it was a large vehicle going past my house.â
The last recorded earthquake in Cornwall was at the end of October 2022. That earth tremor happened at around 6.42pm in Penpol, near Truro, on Tuesday, October 25, and had a magnitude of 0.5.
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I’m scared to sleep inside: Children who survived Turkish earthquake
She was said to jump around like a butterfly. She is now damaged psychologically.
Samer Sharif, 51, is referring to Salma, his 15-year-old daughter, who saw her mother and sibling die in the earthquake on February 6 and who was mistakenly thought to be orphaned for a few days before being unexpectedly reunited with her father.
Salma, Mohammed, her 10-year-old brother, and his ex-wife were all reported dead after the earthquake, Sharif was informed.
Standing before the building that collapsed on top of his family, in Antakya, southern Turkey, Sharif said that he âmet with death at that moment.â
âThere is nothing left in Antakya. Itâs all gone,â he told CNN.
After sleeping on the streets for two days, Sharif left for Istanbul where he stayed with his sister and her husband.
While there he received some rare good news â his daughter was alive, and recovering in hospital.
The father and daughter were re-united, and while they were relieved, they will never be the same â especially Salma.
And Salma is not the only one.
Around 4.6 million children were living in the 10 Turkish provinces hit by the earthquake, according to UNICEF, and an additional 2.5 million children were affected in neighboring Syria.
UNICEF added that families with children are sleeping in the streets, malls, schools, mosques, bus stations and under bridges, all afraid to sleep indoors should more aftershocks bring buildings down.
âI saw a lot of traumatized kids in Antakya,â said 37-year-old Bilal Kazak, a Kazakhstan-born Turkish citizen who lost his mother and sister in the earthquake.
While food, tents and caravans with some heating have arrived in the days following the earthquake, says Kazak, there still isnât enough mental health support, especially for children.
Speaking to CNNâs Zain Asher, a spokesperson for Save the Children relief organization in Turkey, Oben Coban, said that victims are showing clear signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially children, many of whom have been left without parents.
âWhat we are also seeing is that those children who have lost their education, their families, their hopes, they are now struggling to find a reason to keep themselves in this world,â said Coban.
âAt the moment, the only thing that can keep them in their lives is hope for the future.â
For victims in Syria, the earthquake is another crisis amid a devastating 12-year civil war.
Children and families who were recovering from PTSD and ongoing trauma from the scars of war are back in survival mode, Dr. Alexandra Chen, a trauma psychologist treating earthquake victims, told CNN.
âFor people who have slowly begun to recover and regain a sense of normalcy and rebuilt their lives over the last decade, this has been terrifying and destabilizing for both children and adults,â said Chen. âSome are still in denial while others are experiencing hallucinations.â
The United Nations estimates over 30,000 lives have been lost in the Syrian civil war. People were already struggling to rebuild their lives, while thousands fled the country seeking refuge in nearby countries.
While a semblance of routine had been established before, Chen says the situation has now changed.
âPrior to the earthquake, therapy was not emergency-based, and we had the time and the space to process very difficult things, especially for those who have experienced torture and sexual violence,â she said, adding that âweâre back in emergency mode.â
Chen says that aid workers are also struggling. Between losing their own family members and homes, while rescuing people from the rubble, their mental health has deteriorated amid the ongoing rescue efforts, she said.
Aid workers say that the mental health struggles are clear and are happening amid needs for more food and shelter.
Making matters worse, the risks of further tremors have not gone away.
âMany people do not feel comfortable living inside (intact buildings),â said Arlan Fuller, director of Emergency Response & Preparedness at Project Hope, a US-based non-profit, non-governmental organization that supports healthcare workers in times of crisis. Fuller and Project Hope are currently on the ground in Gaziantep.
âIâve heard and seen many situations where people do not want to go back inside,â Fuller told CNN, âOr when they are inside, they are constantly focusing on the chandelier, waiting for it to move.â
Many children are clinging to their parents and canât let go, he added, noting that repeated aftershocks only act as triggers.
Aftershocks continue to be felt across Turkey. Just on Monday, a magnitude 6.3 aftershock struck Turkeyâs southern Hatay province, near the Syrian border, killing at least six people and injuring hundreds.
The Turkish Red Crescent previously said it is providing âpsychological first aidâ to both adults and children impacted by the earthquake, reported the state news agency Anadolu. These include therapy sessions, as well as psychosocial support tents set up by the ministry of family and the ministry of health, added Anadolu.
Salma, 15, remains distraught. She spends most of her time on her phone and refuses to properly eat, her father Samer says.
âShe wants to buy those little hot wheels car toys that Hammoudeh (her brother Mohammedâs nickname) loved to put them on her shelf to look at them and remember him,â said Sharif.
âI keep trying to make her laugh, but itâs not like before.â
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly voted to condemn Russiaâs war in Ukraine. While the resolution isnât binding, it sheds light on where nations stand in this conflict one year since it started.
Among Middle East and Arab nations, only Syria rejected the resolution while Algeria, Iran and Sudan abstained. The rest supported it.
Last year, less than a week after Russiaâs invasion, the same UN body passed a resolution demanding that Russia withdraw all military forces from Ukraine. During that vote, all Arab and Middle Eastern states voted the same way they did on Thursday except for Iraq, which abstained.
The region has largely made clear that it supports Ukraineâs position in this conflict â publicly at least.
The behind-the-scenes diplomacy over the past year, however, tells a different story. Middle East nations have found themselves in a difficult position, juggling between their obligations to their Western allies and their own interests.
The United Arab Emirates, for example, abstained from a symbolic a UN Security Council resolution condemning the war on February 27 of last year (Russia vetoed that resolution). Less than a week later, it voted in favor of a similar resolution at the General Assembly. UAE officials have said the war demonstrates that the world order is no longer unipolar with the US at its helm. The UAE has also become a safe haven for many Russian citizens and businesses since the war.
Abu Dhabi, along with Saudi Arabia, also counts Russia as an ally in the OPEC+ oil cartel. That alliance allows member states to control the supply of oil, which in turn determines prices. The US warned Saudi Arabia last year that restricting the supply of oil would be tantamount to supporting Russia in the war. That warning fell on deaf ears.
Iran, like Syria, is globally isolated and counts Russia as its main international ally. But the Islamic Republic, whose leaders regularly launch tirades against foreign intervention and imperialism, has abstained from such votes instead of vetoing them as Syria has. This is despite Tehranâs role as a player in the war through its supply of killer drones to Russia.
Israel, too, finds itself in a complicated situation. While it has publicly opposed the war, it has economic, cultural, political and security considerations in its dealings with Russia. What it cares most about with Russia is its influence on Iran and its presence in Syria. Israel regularly carries out airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria, which it regards as critical to prevent the transfer of missile technology to Lebanonâs Hezbollah militant group. It usually communicates with the Russians ahead of those strikes for deconfliction purposes.
By Abbas Al Lawati
Turkey says may experience more aftershocks greater than magnitude 5
Orhan Tatar, Turkeyâs general director of Earthquake and Risk Reduction (AFAD) said on Thursday at a press conference that the country may experience more large aftershocks in the coming days, calling on citizens to stay away from damaged buildings. Following the conference, a magnitude 5 aftershock struck the southern Hatay province.
- Background: Since the first 7.8 quake on February 6, authorities have registered 7,442 aftershocks AFAD said on Tuesday. Forty-one of them were between 5 and 6 magnitude and 450 of them were between 4 and 5 magnitude.
- Why it matters: Aftershocks have been frequent and deadly, have complicated recovery operations and rebuilding efforts and have prevented survivors from returning indoors.
Tunisian president denies racism but repeats view that migration is a plot
Tunisian President Kais Saied has repeated his assertion that an increase of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa was part of a conspiracy to change Tunisiaâs demographics and denied criticism by rights groups that his views were racist, Reuters reported.
- Background: Saied on Tuesday ordered security forces to halt all illegal immigration into Tunisia and said any undocumented migrants must leave, comments that prompted some strong criticism. Speaking to Interior Minister Tawfiq Charfeddine in a video posted online, Saied said his opponents had twisted his comments in order to spread discord. Rights groups have accused Saied of racism and announced plans to protest.
- Why it matters: Tunisia is a major departure point for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean and over the past year there has been a big increase in the number of Tunisians and other Africans trying to reach Europe.
Oman opens airspace to Israeli airlines in landmark move
The Gulf state of Oman has opened its airspace to Israeli airlines in a landmark move that will cut the carriersâ flights from Israel to Asia by up to two hours. The nationâs civil aviation authority said on Twitter that its âairspace is open for all carriers that meet the requirements of the authority for overflying.â Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen tweeted that it was âanother great step toward regional integrationâ and âa day of celebration for Israel.â
- Background: The move follows Saudi Arabiaâs decision in July to open its own airspace to Israeli carriers in a deal brokered by the United States. The Israeli foreign ministry said on Thursday that the aviation announcement came after months of talks with Omani authorities.
- Why it matters: Israel needed Omanâs approval to use the shorter corridor to Asia. The move is a diplomatic victory for the Netanyahu government, which has made normalization with Arab nations a top priority. Oman has no diplomatic relations with Israel and normalization is a controversial topic due to Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In December, the Gulf stateâs elected Shura Council proposed tightening an Israel boycott law.
The US has repatriated 77 looted artifacts to Yemen, including dozens of ancient funerary stones linked to a disgraced New York art dealer and 11 folios from early Qurans.
But as part of a landmark agreement the Smithsonianâs National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC will care for and store the items for at least two years as Yemen remains engulfed in a bitter civil war.
Among the artifacts being returned are 65 funerary stones, known as âstelae,â that date back to the second half of the first millennium BC. Featuring engraved faces, some of the objects contain traces of pigment or inscriptions revealing the names of the deceased.
A museum spokesperson told CNN that the stones were most likely looted from archaeological sites in northwestern Yemen. The Quranic folios are meanwhile thought to date back to the 9th century. An inscribed bronze bowl is also among the cache of artifacts.
The partnership between the Smithsonian and Yemenâs government was announced at a repatriation ceremony hosted by the countryâs embassy in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. As part of the agreement, some of the items could be publicly exhibited at the museum, including in its current show âAncient Yemen: Incense, Art, and Trade.â Yemenâs government will have the option to extend the partnership after two years, depending on the state of unrest in the country.
The countryâs ambassador to the United States, Mohammed Al-Hadhrami, said in a statement that âon behalf of the people and Government of Yemen, we are thrilled to see Yemen retaking ownership of its cultural heritage.â
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Thank you for the support – Christian Atsui’s family to Akufo-Addo
The late Ghanaian player Christian Astu‘s family has expressed its profound gratitude for the kindness and support received after their loved one tragically perished in the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
The Twasam family is especially appreciative of the assistance received from the government, President Akufo-Addo, and Ghanaians during this difficult time.
Robert Ani, a family spokesman, told Nii Larte Lartey on Citi Prime News that the familyâs gratitude for Christian Atsuâs demise cannot be adequately expressed in words.
âThe support of government and Ghanaians has been overwhelming. First, I want to thank President Akufo-Addo for taking a keen interest right from when the incident occurred. The President has been very helpful. We just want to say thank you to him and Ghanaians also. The support has been overwhelming. People have been calling, visiting and offering the support they can. So far, I will say that it has been overwhelmingâ, he said.
Following the 7.8 magnitude catastrophe, Christian Atsu, 31, was discovered dead under the debris at his location in the Turkish province of Hatay last Saturday.
On Sunday, his body was subsequently brought to Ghana.
Since then, government representatives, members of the football community, colleagues, supporters, and Ghanaians, in general, have been offering their condolences to the bereaved family as tributes to the hero continue to pour in.
The government has vowed to fully engage with the family in giving Atsu a proper burial.
On March 4, 2023, the deceased footballer will be remembered with a one-week memorial observation at the Adjiringanor Astroturf.
Discussions were completed on Friday between the Atsu family, Ghana Football Association representatives, and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif ahead of the late footballerâs final funeral rites.
The parties will meet with President Akufo-Addo next Monday to conclude the rites for the former Chelsea and Newcastle winger, the minister announced.
âIt has been agreed that, on the 4th of March, there will be the one-week observation at the Adjiringanor park from 8am. We have been meeting the Sports Minister and GFA officials, and they have agreed. The funeral itself, we are yet to decide because itâs being done in consultations with the government. So in due course, we will update the public on when the funeral will be heldâ, Atsuâs family spokesperson confirmed.