Latest additions to the knowledge base

Equipment and expert aid are urgently needed for 4.7 million people in the country’s neglected northwest.

On Feb. 6, 2023, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck at 4:17 a.m. local time near Pazarcık City in south-central Türkiye. This earthquake was followed by a second earthquake of magnitude 7.5 at 1:24 p.m. with the epicenter in Elbistan City.

Estimating the cost of disasters is a tricky business and calculations can vary widely. Following the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, we examine some of the main methods used.

This month’s earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria have been called a “once-in-a-generation” disaster – one so devastating that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said it wasn’t possible to be prepared for them. Is that really true?

On 6 February, two major earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria, bringing widespread destruction to both countries. Scientists had issued warnings, but the scale of damage caused was never anticipated and had not been prepared for.

Rebuilding after the disaster in Turkey and Syria will take years and cost billions. Following the example set by other earthquake-prone regions, can they recover and become more resilient?

When intervals between large earthquakes are long, as is the case with many of Earth’s most dangerous faults, people often become increasingly unaware of the hazard and thus increasingly unprepared.

The destruction in Turkey and Syria shows the urgent need to invest in emergency preparedness across the region.