Turkey major magnitude 7.2 earthquake Oct 23, 2011, possibly 1000 killed
A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, collapsing dozens of buildings into piles of twisted steel and chunks of concrete.
Up to 1,000 people are feared dead in the earthquake, according to initial estimates. At least 35 buildings are reported to have collapsed.
“The quake was strongly felt in Van and neighbouring towns and caused damage and deaths, based on initial assessments,” the Turkish prime minister’s office said.
Many desperate survivors dug into the rubble with their bare hands, trying to rescue the trapped and injured.
Rescue workers and residents using their bare hands and shovels struggled to free people believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings, television footage showed.
Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey. In 1999, about 18,000 people were killed by two powerful earthquakes that struck north-west Turkey. Authorities blamed shoddy construction for many of the deaths.
