6.3-magnitude earthquake hits Turkey 2 weeks after 7.8-magnitude caused devastation
Another earthquake struck the southern part of Turkey on Monday, just two weeks after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake left over 40,000 people dead in the region. The latest earthquake was a 6.3-magnitude aftershock in the Hatay province of Turkey. While not as powerful as the original, the quake has trapped people under buildings, The New York Times reports.
The quake occurred just after 5 p.m. local time, and caused the power to go out, with one reporter describing it as a "pitch-black gallery." "The situation is terrible," said İbrahim Guzel, mayor of Defne, a town near the epicenter. "There is no electricity."
The number of casualties has not yet been determined, however, there have been three confirmed deaths and over 200 people wounded, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay warned people "not to enter the damaged buildings, especially to take their belongings."
The aftershock comes just after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional $100 million in humanitarian aid to Turkey in response to the earlier quake. Turkey has experienced 6,000 aftershocks since the initial quake in early February.
"It's going to take a massive effort to rebuild but we're committed to supporting Turkey in that effort," Blinken said Sunday.
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