A 6.3-magnitude aftershock hit close to Turkey’s southern border with Syria on Monday, two weeks after a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands of people in both countries.
The magnitude 6.3 aftershock which struck southern Turkey on Monday, killed at least three people and injuring hundreds more, according to Turkish and Syrian officials.
The quake struck Turkey’s southern Hatay province, near the Syrian border, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) said Monday.
The quake’s epicenter was in the province’s Defne district, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said Monday, adding that there have been 26 aftershocks since.
Turkish officials say at least three people were killed and 294 people were injured following Monday’s aftershocks.
In the city of Antakya in the country’s southern Hatay province, three men were trapped when a building that had survived the initial quake two weeks ago collapsed, according to their relative, Yahya Hallak.
Hundreds of rescuers worked into the early hours of Tuesday morning trying to reach the men, some falling asleep on rubble next to fires to stay warm, as others endured freezing conditions to shift heavy rubble.
In northwest Syria, more than 130 people were injured in Monday’s quake, which caused a number of other buildings to collapse, the White Helmets volunteer rescue group said.
“Our teams are working to take the injured to hospitals, inspect the affected villages and towns, and remove rubble to open the roads for the ambulances,” the White Helmets said.
