Fresh 5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes central Turkey, no immediate reports of damage

On February 25, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Central Turkey, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles). This comes just days after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the southern Turkish city of Antakya on February 21, leaving six dead and hundreds injured.

Rescue teams are currently working to save people trapped under the rubble of damaged buildings. Reports indicate that the latest tremor struck while people were in a damaged building, attempting to retrieve their belongings before it was demolished.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca stated that 294 people were injured in Monday evening’s earthquake, with 18 seriously hurt and transported to hospitals in Adana and Dortyol. Patients were evacuated from some health facilities that had remained in operation after the massive tremors two weeks ago, as cracks had emerged in the buildings.

President Tayyip Erdogan announced that construction work on nearly 200,000 apartments in 11 earthquake-hit provinces of Turkey would begin next month. The death toll from the quakes two weeks ago rose to 41,156 in Turkey, with 385,000 apartments known to have been destroyed or seriously damaged and many people still missing.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised US assistance in the wake of the earthquakes. As rescue operations wind down, focus has turned toward urgent shelter and reconstruction work.