Major Earthquake Hits Turkey

Very strong earthquake in eastern Turkey - Urgent cry for aid (many fatalities expected)

This page will post frequent updates to this evolving situation. Right now it is listed as a 7.2 magnitude. There have already been a number of large aftershocks. We need to pray for the people in Turkey.

URGENT CRY FOR AID in ERCIS – Large number of dead in Ercis. The total population of the city is 145,229 and spread among the city center and villages. The village population is 66,832, while the city
- or “Centrum”- population is 78,397. Population density is 47/km². 7.2 and the depth of 7 km is updated to 20 km. This is at least a weakening message.

Still very dangerous and violent though.Buildings were destroyed in Van and Sanliurfa and all the settlements have reported some of the buildings collapsed in the earthquake and many buildings were damaged. A large number of injured people have been transferred to hospital, and under the remains of the wreckage recovery operation was launched.

7-storey Van building collapsed as a result of the earthquake with some citizens trapped in the rubble. Firefighters are trying to save the citizens of the wreckage at the bottom. Information about the place, and consequently the loss of life due to the earthquake happening is not yet known.
Essentially the percentage of people killed in such collapses of major buildings ranges between 20%-50% of the occupants.

Ercis (town near Van) mayor has said that they expect a very large number dead – state of emergency declared. Ercis State Hospital received heavy damage, and the tent waiting for the ambulance as an emergency, he said.

Also see:

"There Are So Many Dead": Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Rocks Turkey

This earthquake comes in addition to a number of large quakes recently, as there was just a 7.4 in the Kermadec Islands, a 6.1 in Japan and a 6.0 in New Guinea.

Latest Earthquakes in the World - Past 7 days

Interestingly, there have been some unusual earthquakes in the U.S. recently including Nevada (3.4, 3.5), Oklahoma (2.5), Arkansas (2.5, 2.5, 2.8), New Mexico (3.5), Hawaii (multiple), Southern-Central California (multiple), Southern Texas (4.8), San Francisco (4.0, 2.8, 2.5)

More birth pains are guaranteed to come.