Turkish disaster response agency AFAD says a 6.4-magnitude earthquake has struck the Turkey-Syria border region at a depth of 7.7km in Defne, Hatay province.
This is coming following 7.8-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that hit Turkey two weeks ago, which killed nearly 46,000 people in southern Turkey and northwest Syria.
Monday night’s quake is believed to have originated around Antakya, the Turkish city that was levelled after the earthquake two weeks ago. Its vibrations reached Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Israel.
Turkish authorities have recorded more than 6,000 aftershocks since with thousands of buildings destroyed.
Residents of nearby city of Adana in southern Turkey and Samandag were terrified by the new earthquake.
In northwest Syria, the White Helmets rescue organisation said “walls and balconies of houses collapsed in several areas”.
“Several civilians injured from falling building debris, stampedes, and jumping from high areas. Additionally, in Jindires, north of Aleppo two uninhabited buildings and the minaret of a mosque collapsed,” they added.
The disaster management agency said on Twitter another 5.8-magnitude tremor followed three minutes later and its epicentre was Samandag district in Hatay.
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on social media urged people to stay away from damaged buildings and to follow officials’ warnings.
