Ankara: The death toll from the Monday earthquake in Turkey’s Malatya has gone up to 23 and over 400 people were injured, while in Diyarbakir six deaths have been reported, according to local authorities.
Earlier on Monday, Malatya Governor Hulusi Sahin said that the earthquake resulted in the collapse of 130 buildings in the region; three people had died while 100 were injured.
“So far, 23 people have died, 420 people have been injured, and 140 buildings have collapsed as a result of the earthquake in the city,” Hulusi Sahin said later on Monday, as quoted by the state-run TRT Haber broadcaster.
Diyarbakir Governor Ali Ihsan Su told TRT that seven buildings collapsed in Diyarbakir as a result of the earthquake.
“Six citizens died, 79 citizens were injured. 12 citizens were rescued from the rubble,” the governor said.
According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), a 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in Kahramanmaras Province at 04:17 a.m. local time on Monday (01:17 GMT). It was felt in at least six nearby provinces (Hatay, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakir, Malatya and Sanliurfa) and was followed by numerous aftershocks. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that a total of 22 aftershocks have been registered, with the strongest one having a magnitude of 6.6.
Soylu said on Monday that the highest alert level was issued in Turkey. The Turkish NTV channel reported on Monday that the level four alert stipulates international assistance.
