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Magnitude 7.8 earthquake hits southern Turkey

A fatal 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook southern Turkey early on Monday, toppling buildings and sending residents running into the streets as aftershocks rippled across the region.

At least five people were killed, Erdinç Yılmaz, governor of the southern province of Osmaniye, told the CNN .

At least 34 buildings collapsed, according to preliminary data.

The earthquake struck 23 km east of Nurdagi in Gaziantep province at a depth of 24.1 km, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Nurdagi is located along the Turkey-Syria border and the earthquake was felt in several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon.

Videos shared on social media show dozens of collapsed buildings as frightened residents crowd the streets amid the chaos. Rescue teams can be seen conducting search and rescue operations.

Gaziantep Governor Davut Gul said on Twitter that “the earthquake was felt strongly in our city” and advised the public to wait outside their homes and remain calm.

“Please, let’s wait outside without panic. We are not going to use our cars. Let’s not crowd the main roads. Let’s not keep the phones busy,” she said.

Strong aftershocks were felt in southern and central Turkey.

About 11 minutes after the main earthquake, the strongest aftershock of magnitude 6.7 struck about 32 kilometers northwest of the main earthquake’s epicenter.

Another intense aftershock with a magnitude of 5.6 occurred 19 minutes after the main earthquake.

Journalist Eyad Kourdi, who lives in the city of Gaziantep, told CNN that there were as many as eight “very strong” aftershocks in less than a minute after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, causing belongings in his home to fall to the ground.

Many of his neighbors left their homes after the earthquake, he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent his “best wishes” to those affected by the earthquake. Erdogan said the earthquake was felt in many parts of the country and Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) was on alert to help the victims.

“I convey my best wishes to all our citizens affected by the earthquake that took place in Kahramanmaraş and was felt in many parts of our country. All our relevant units are on alert under the coordination of AFAD,” Erdogan wrote on Twitter.

Strong aftershocks are likely to continue in the hours and even days after an earthquake as strong as this one, according to meteorologists from the CNN .

Source: CNN Brasil

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