[Turkey Earthquake]Southeastern Turkey suffered the worst earthquake in 80 years yesterday (6th), severely damaging many towns in the south. Due to the shallow depth of the earthquake, the affected areas were seriously damaged, including the World Heritage Gaziantep Castle, Shaheen Bey Mosque and other historical sites, which were also defeated by the strong earthquake and collapsed. Another airport runway was broken, and many flights were forced to be cancelled. The Security Bureau has issued a red travel alert to Turkey’s southeastern provinces, reminding everyone to avoid going to the disaster area unless necessary.
Turkey earthquake destroys scenic spots!The World Heritage “Millennium Castle” collapsed and the airport runway was broken
In less than 10 hours in southeastern Turkey yesterday (6th), major earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred regarding 83 kilometers and 160 kilometers west-southwest of Malatya respectively. The two earthquakes were both shallow earthquakes, which severely damaged areas such as Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Adana, and Adiyaman near the epicenter. As of noon today (7th), the earthquake in Turkey killed at least 2,921 people and collapsed 5,000 buildings.
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“Thousand-year-old castle” Gaziantep Castle, Shaheen Bey Mosque severely damaged
The earthquake in Turkey also severely damaged local tourism resources and infrastructure. In Gaziantep, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a history of more than 2,000 years, Gaziantep Castle (Gaziantep Castle) was severely damaged. Its towers and walls collapsed. A piece of dilapidated ruins. Gaziantep Castle was built by the Romans and was an important fortress in the Turkish War of Independence.
In addition, the Shahin Bey Mosque (Şirvani), which was built in the 17th century next to the Gaziantep Castle, also suffered serious damage, and its dome cover and walls also partially collapsed. It is estimated that it will take a long time to fully restore the original appearance of these monuments.
The runway of Hatay Airport was broken by the strong earthquake, and some airports canceled all flights
As for Hatay Province, the only runway at Hatay Airport was broken by the strong earthquake, and all flights at the airport have been cancelled. In addition, in order to expedite the delivery of relief supplies and rescue personnel, Gaziantep Airport and Kahramanmaras Airport have canceled all passenger flights. Currently, the airports only accept planes for medical and rescue purposes. Many countries or regions (including the Netherlands, Romania, Japan, Taiwan, etc.) have sent rescue teams to several towns in Turkey to assist in disaster relief.
Ankara and Istanbul in Turkey felt the quake, Pamukkale and others were not seriously damaged
The earthquake in Turkey was also felt by some Hong Kong people in popular local towns, including Ankara, the capital, and Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey. However, due to the distance from the epicenter, the damage to the two places was relatively low. There are no reports of serious damage to tourist areas such as Pamukkale and Cappadocia, which is famous for its hot air balloon tours.
Friends who are planning to travel to Turkey should pay attention that the Security Bureau has issued a red travel alert to the southeastern provinces of Turkey, reminding everyone to avoid going to the disaster area unless necessary. As of noon, the Immigration Department has not received any Hong Kong people seeking help in the disaster area. If you encounter an accident outside Hong Kong, you can call the 24-hour helpline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department: (+852) 1868 to contact the prescription.