A 6.3 magnitude earthquake has, again, hit the southern province of Hatay, Turkey and northern Syria.
This is coming barely a week after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit both countries killing over 46,000 people, including Ghanaian football star Christian Atsu, and leaving thousands homeless.
According to reports from Al Jazeera, the Head of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority has confirmed 294 people were injured in the Monday evening quake.
“May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, I wish a speedy recovery to our wounded,” he tweeted.
“Our search and rescue efforts in the region continue uninterrupted.”
The tremors from the quake were felt in Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Iraq and Israel, the media reported.
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Some residents in the area who spoke with the media said the quake caused fresh panic among them as they hurried out of their houses to safety.
“We were at home in peace, I was getting ready for the night prayer when I felt the floor trembling. We came out running. We are on the ground floor, I don’t even know how we managed to get out. There are four floors above our apartment. We are afraid of ending up under the rubble like other people,”.
The Syria state news reported that six people were injured in Aleppo were falling debris while the mayor of Hatay said a number of buildings had collapsed, trapping people inside.
Ted Ross Ad Honma Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation chief expressed ‘concern about the ongoing tremors in Turkey and Syria’
“Concerned about the ongoing tremors in Turkey and Syria, causing further death, injuries and trauma. WHO teams are supporting health workers and mobile clinics in both countries with medical supplies so they can offer immediate care to everyone in need,” he tweeted.
