Two devastating earthquakes that slammed Turkey, Syria, and the surrounding region, together with numerous aftershocks, have resulted in the deaths of more than 6,000 people.
Before and after images show building collapses in Gaziantep, Turkey.
The first earthquake, which happened on February 6 at 04:18 local time (01:18 GMT), was recorded as a 7.8, or “major,” on the official magnitude scale. Its centre was near to the roughly two million-person metropolis of Gaziantep.
Tower blocks and government buildings were also destroyed by the tremors’ strength in northern Syria, and they were felt in Lebanon and Cyprus, which were both roughly 250 miles (400 km) away from the epicentre.
More than 20,000 people have been injured, more than 4,500 people have perished, and about 6,000 buildings have been demolished in Turkey.
Building collapses in Turkey’s Gaziantep are depicted in before and after pictures.
The more than 2,000-year-old castle in Gaziantep was also seriously harmed. The castle on a hilltop was constructed during the Roman Empire. It has previously served as a museum.
Images of the damage done to a castle in Turkey’s Gaziantep are shown before and after.
Satellite photographs also demonstrate how the earthquake in the province of Gaziantep completely damaged parts of the town of Islahiye.
Numerous aftershocks occurred after the initial earthquake, including one that registered as magnitude 7.5 at 13:25 (10:25 GMT) and had an epicentre around 60 miles (100 km) further north in the Elbistan region of Kahramanmaras province.
About nine hours after the first earthquake, another one struck Kahramanmaras.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, issued a three-month state of emergency in ten cities in the southeast of the nation on Tuesday.
Structures and docks were left in ruins in the Mediterranean port city of Iskenderun, which is located in the province of Hatay and is about 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Gaziantep.
Major damage was done to the historic Yeni Camii mosque in Malatya, which is more than 100 miles (160 km) outside the city centre. Due to the collapse of its domes, it was exposed to the chilly winter sky. An enormous earthquake in 1894 completely destroyed the mosque, and after it had been rebuilt, a further earthquake in 1964 severely damaged it.
In Syria, falling buildings killed over 1,800 people. The earthquake has caused additional damage to Aleppo’s ancient citadel, which has been destroyed by a decade of conflict.