M 5.7 struck Turkey and Iran: At least 9 people dead

A M 5.7 earthquake hit Turkey near the border with Iran resulting in at least 9 fatalities including 3 children.

The incident occurred at 9:23 a.m. local time on February 23, 2020. The temblor struck at a depth of 5 kilometers, close to Habash-e Olya, a village that is located in Iran. 

In Van province of Turkey, 1,066 buildings collapsed resulting in 9 casualties and 40 injuries (8 of them in critical condition). Many people were trapped under the debris and rescue operations initiated in search of survivors. In particular, 13 rescue teams, 25 ambulances and a helicopter were summoned. Moreover, building inspectors have been dispatched to assess the vulnerability of the structures.

According to Mehmet Emin Bilmez, Governor of Van province, the rescue efforts have been completed and no one remains trapped under the collapsed structures. The impact of the quake was devastating. “The damage caused loss of life," Bilmez, stated.

Iranian media reported severe structural failures in 43 villages in the Qotour area. According to a spokesman for Iran’s emergency organization, 25%-90% of buildings in 25 of those villages totally collapsed.

According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Center, several aftershocks measuring up to M 3.9 occurred following the main temblor. 

The affected region is one of the most earthquake-prone areas worldwide. High seismicity in the Middle East is caused by the impact of 4 tectonics plates, Arabia, India, Africa and Eurasia, and one tectonic block, Anatolia, in the region. Major faults capable of producing powerful earthquakes exist both in Iran and Turkey. 

Back in 1999, a devastating quake struck near the city of Izmit in northwestern Turkey. The seismic shock, which was associated with the North Anatolian fault system, caused numerous structural collapses resulting in approximately 17,000 casualties and leaving half a million people homeless. 

The most calamitous quake that hit Iran within the past few decades occurred in 1990. The M 7.7 earthquake struck near the Caspian Sea and resulted in 50,000 fatalities, 135,000 injuries and destroyed local infrastructure.