THE SQUIZ
The World Health Organization says the death toll from 3 earthquakes that have struck Turkey and Syria is expected to rise “significantly” as rescuers search through the rubble. More than 6,300 people have died across both nations (4,500 in Turkey and 1,800 in Syria), and more than 8,000 people have been pulled from the debris in Turkey. The first 7.8 magnitude quake – one of the largest ever recorded in the region – struck just after 4am on Monday morning near the city of Gaziantep, home to millions of Turkish citizens, displaced Syrians and refugees. The 2nd 7.6 magnitude quake hit about 95km north of there hours later, and the 3rd 6 magnitude quake was recorded yesterday. Ten cities in Turkey have been affected, and overnight, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared a 3-month state of emergency to ensure rescue work can be “carried out quickly”. In Syria, Aleppo has experienced the worst damage.

WHY WAS THIS QUAKE SO DEADLY?
This occurred in one of the world’s most active earthquake areas because it’s at the junction of the Anatolia, Arabia and Africa plates. As you can see here, the disaster has affected a huge part of Turkey and a large part of Syria in the wartorn north. There have been big quakes in this zone before, including in 1999, when more than 17,000 people died in Turkey’s northwest. Seismologists say this disaster was caused by a strike-slip quake – that’s where tectonic plates jolt past each other horizontally, creating massive tremors. That and poorly constructed homes, buildings and other infrastructure are behind the huge death tolls. Adding to the problems, several areas are cut off because roads and airports have been damaged.

WHAT NOW?
The focus will be on rescue and recovery, but Turkey’s Ambassador to Oz Ufuk Gezer says there are many challenges on the ground, and the scale of damage is “unbelievably horrible”. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an international response, noting that many families hit by the disaster were “already in dire need of humanitarian aid”. Forty-five countries have offered support, with many sending specialist rescue teams, sniffer dogs and equipment. PM Anthony Albanese yesterday committed $10 million in humanitarian aid for those in “greatest need” and acknowledged it is “a difficult time” for those with family in the region. So far, there are no reports of Aussies caught up in the disaster – if you’re worried about someone, the Foreign Affairs Department’s set up a hotline, and the details are here.