Leaders | Seismic shock

The devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria might upend politics, too

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces a tough election in May

HATAY, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 08: A man prays in front of a collapsed building on February 08, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Image: Getty Images

NOBODY KNOWS how many people lie trapped under the rubble. When two powerful earthquakes hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6th, thousands of buildings collapsed, burying families as they slept. Rescuers are racing to dig them out before they succumb to injury, thirst or the biting cold. By February 9th estimates of the death toll stood at more than 16,000; the true figure may be far higher. The World Health Organisation says it could be 20,000, which would make it even worse than the quake that struck Izmit, 100km (60 miles) east of Istanbul, in 1999, killing some 18,000. Buckled roads, complex terrain and the vast size of the affected area, spreading out along the East Anatolian fault for some 450km, are making the relief effort hellishly difficult to manage.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Seismic shock”

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