Three airports have been closed down in Turkey after devastating earthquakes have shaken the country to its core. Around 3800 people are estimated to have been killed in Turkey and Syria by the two earthquakes.
The first earthquake struck in the early morning in South-eastern Turkey near the Syrian border. The earthquake was recorded as having a magnitude tremor of 7.8 and a depth of 17.9km.
The second earthquake occurred 12 hours later, with a magnitude of 7.5, in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmara province. The Turkey Disaster and Emergency Management Authority have said that the second quake was “not an aftershock” and “independent” from the earlier one.
Seismologists have said that the first earthquake was one of the largest ever recovered in Turkey, which lies in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. The number of deaths will likely increase in the coming hours as rescuers continue searching for bodies underneath the rubble in freezing conditions.
Hundreds of buildings and roads have been destroyed in the area, with apocalyptic images being shared across the media. Gaziantep Castle, a historical landmark that has stood for over 2,000 years, has fallen victim to the earthquake in addition to a number of multi-story malls and offices.
Travel Implications
Two major airports in the surrounding vicinity of the earthquakes have been forced to close due to infrastructural damage and safety concerns. Only one airport remains open, which isn’t for passenger flights but for relief supplies and airlifting people out of the region.
The first airport to close down amid the earthquakes was Adana Sakirpasa Aiport. The next one to announce its closure was Hatay Airport. Images released on social media show that one of the runways at the airport has been split in two due to the earthquake. As a result, it isn’t expected that Hatay Aiport will be able to continue operations for some time.
Gaziantep Oguzeli International Airport remains open but only for medical evacuations and for providing medical supplies. The airport remains on high alert, only 30 miles from the first earthquake’s epicenter. Fortunately, the airport has only suffered minor damage and should be able to open back up for civilians once it is safe to do so.
While the risk of further earthquakes and aftershocks is still high, it is unlikely that local authorities will give the go-ahead for these airports to re-open for commercial flights, even if they are structurally able to.
Travel advice in relation to the Southeast region of Turkey has understandably changed in light of the earthquakes. The foreign office in the United Kingdom updated their advice to tourists planning to visit Turkey with the following message:
“A 7.8 earthquake hit Gaziantep and neighboring provinces in the southeast of Turkey on 6 February 2023. There have been several strong aftershocks. You should avoid the immediate vicinity and follow the advice of local authorities.
The Country’s Worst Disaster in 84 Years
The President of Turkey, Recept Tayyip Erdogan, has labeled the day’s events as “the worst disaster” the country had experienced since 1939. Back then, another devastating earthquake took the lives of 33,000 people.
Erdogan has also appealed for international aid, as has UN Secretary Antonio Guterres. The response has been across the word. The EU has sent a search and rescue team to Turkey, while the UK has sent 76 specialists, equipment, and rescue dogs.
The US, France, Germany, Israel, and Russia have also offered to help in any way they can as some of the world’s biggest powers unite to support Turkey.
