More Than 6 Thousand Susulant Earthquakes Have Already Appeared And Have Continued For A Long Time

Photo via BNPB

JAKARTA - The Turkish Disaster Management Agency (AFAD) recorded more than 6,000 aftershocks occurred after two major earthquakes rocked the country on February 6, 2023.

General Director for Earthquakes and Risk Reduction AFAD Orhan Tatar said the number of aftershocks caused by the two earthquakes reached 6,040. Among them 1,628 aftershocks in magnitudes 3 to 4; 436 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4 to 5; and 40 aftershocks with a magnitude of 5 to 6. There was also one aftershock with a magnitude of 6.6.

The AFAD warned aftershocks after a devastating earthquake hit Turkey's south would also continue.

"Especially after an earthquake of this magnitude, aftershocks will continue for a longer period of time. Some of these aftershocks may be measuring 5 and above," Tatar said as quoted by Antara from Anadolu, Tuesday, February 21.

As a result of the earthquake, the earth's crust moved 7.3 meters.

'That's a very big number. The earthquake also released a lot of energy," he said.

The impact of the earthquake reached an area of 110,000 square kilometers and caused damage in many provinces and districts.

To address claims on social media about flashing light in the sky that resembled a lightning strike during an earthquake, Tatar said the intense flash of light during the earthquake was common.

Two major earthquakes on February 6 claimed at least 41,020 human lives, AFAD said.

The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras Province affected 13 million people in eleven provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Elazig, and Sanliurfa. In Syria, at least 5,840 people died from the earthquake.