Earthquake in Türkiye kills more than 1,200 people.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Response Agency (AFAD) reported that a 7.4 magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:17 a.m. (8:17 a.m. Hanoi time) in the Pazarcik district, near the city of Kahramanmaras, in the province of the same name.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake measured 7.8 magnitude, followed by a 6.7 magnitude aftershock 15 minutes later. This was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the area in at least a century.

The earthquake caused tremors and the collapse of hundreds of houses. According to the Turkish Emergency and Disaster Management Agency (AFAD), the earthquake's epicenter was at a depth of approximately 17.9 km, near the city of Kahramanmaras in the southeast of the country.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 912 people had died and more than 5,000 were injured, with the heaviest damage in Kahramanmaras province. Syrian state media quoted Ahmed Damiriyye, assistant health minister, as saying more than 326 people had died and 639 were injured in Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia, bringing the total death toll from the earthquake to at least 1,238. The death toll is expected to rise as many people remain trapped in the rubble.

Davut Gul, the governor of Gaziantep province in southeastern Türkiye, advised residents to remain calm and wait outside their homes. "Don't panic, and don't use cars or gather in large crowds on main roads," he said.

Türkiye is one of the countries in the world that frequently experiences earthquakes. In 1999, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Izmit, southeast of Istanbul, killing more than 17,000 people. In 2011, an earthquake in the eastern city of Van killed more than 500 people.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao