HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

October 24, 2011. At least 265 killed in Turkey earthquake

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

At least 265 people were killed and 1,140 others injured after a magnitude 7.2 on the Richter scale earthquake struck eastern Van region on October 23rd, Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin said. The city of Erhis was worst affected by the earthquake, with nearly 1,000 buildings destroyed. Rescue teams struggled to pull survivors from the rubble. Tens of thousands slept outside their homes in freezing conditions. The earthquake struck at 13:41 local time (10:41GMT) on October 23rd at a depth of 20km (12 miles) and with its epicenter 16km (10 miles) northeast of Van. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the devastated areas and thanked foreign offers of assistance, but said Turkey could deal with the disaster on its own. Turkish seismologists told London-based news that the enforcement of building code regulations often remained ignored in Turkey. The earthquake cut off electricity and telephone lines, while in some areas, authorities cut gas to avoid the risk of fire.