Earthquakes in Turkey: a new aftershock of magnitude 5.6 in the province of Malatya

Rescuers continue their search operations among the rubble of collapsed buildings in Yesilyurt district, Malatya, on February 27, 2023, after a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey, killing a person and injuring dozens more while causing some damaged buildings to collapse, the government said the disaster management agency.

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2 mins

Three weeks after the violent earthquake that hit southern Turkey and neighboring Syria, a new earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hit the city of Malatya (southeast) on Monday February 27, killing one person and at least sixty injured.

One more replica that worries Turkey. 

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With our special correspondent in the region,

The video is impressive.

In barely two seconds, the 6-storey building collapsed in one block, releasing a thick cloud of dust.

Two bodies miraculously emerged alive.

But this rubble adds to that already caused by the February 6 earthquake.

Another 5.6 earthquake earlier this morning in Malatya, Turkey and further destruction… pic.twitter.com/CB59mt0bzJ

— Alexandre Gagne (@alexandre_gagne) February 27, 2023

This new earthquake comes a week after the search for bodies was stopped and illustrates what seismologists in Turkey fear.

The East Anatolian fault ruptured so much during the first earthquake that the earth could continue to shake for another 6 months.

We are already at more than 10,000 tremors.

We were yesterday in Samandag, the epicenter of the last big aftershock, a week ago.

What emerges are exhausted, mostly terrified residents.

No one dares to sleep in their apartment anymore, even if it looks solid.

Residents who have set up their tents under orange trees explained to us that many neighbors had gone to live in the surrounding mountains, where the tremors are less powerful.

The city most in danger now is Adana, seismologists warn.

A violent earthquake could affect this city of 1.7 million inhabitants, a little further west.

According to the authorities, nearly 2.5 million people did so and migrated to the north of the country. 

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The World Bank estimates the damage of the various earthquakes at 34 billion dollars

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake and its many aftershocks that have rocked southern Turkey since February 6 have caused damage worth over $34 billion, the World Bank estimated on Monday.

This sum is the equivalent of 4% of the country's GDP in 2021, specifies the institution, which also adds that the estimate does not take into account the costs of reconstruction, "potentially twice as high" 

 to the press release nor the consequences for future Turkish growth.

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