According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred in southern Turkey near the northern border of Syria at a depth of 11 miles (18 kilometers).
Since the initial quake, the two nations experienced numerous aftershocks. According to USGS research geologist Alex Hatem, the region had experienced 13 significant aftershocks of at least magnitude 5 within the first 11 hours.
Nine hours after the main quake, Turkey was struck by another powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake. Scientists agreed that the two quakes are related, despite their investigation into whether that was an aftershock.
According to Hatem, "more aftershocks are certainly expected, given the size of the main shock." In the coming days, weeks, and months, we anticipate that aftershocks will continue.
What kind of quake did this one have?
The earthquake, according to the researchers, was a strike-slip quake, in which two tectonic plates slide horizontally past one another.
According to seismologist Eric Sandvol of the University of Missouri, the Earth is divided into various pieces "kind of like a jigsaw puzzle."
At fault lines, where the plates typically grind against one another slowly, those pieces meet. But if there is enough tension, they can quickly snap past each other, releasing a lot of energy.
According to Hatem, the quake was caused by one plate moving west while the other moved east, jerking past each other.
According to Sandvol, aftershocks will begin to diminish in frequency over time.
Are there a lot of earthquakes in this area?
The quake occurred in the East Anatolian fault zone, a seismically active region that has previously experienced destructive earthquakes.
Sandvol stated, "Almost all of Turkey is really seismically active." The country has been doing this for a long time.
In January 2020, Turkey experienced a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that significantly damaged the country's eastern regions. Near Istanbul, in 1999, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed approximately 18,000 people.
Why did the earthquake cause so much damage?
Even for a land-based earthquake, the quake was powerful. According to British Geological Survey seismologist Margarita Segou, very powerful earthquakes typically occur underwater.
Additionally, the quake struck close to densely populated areas. Near Gaziantep, Turkey's major city and provincial capital, the epicenter was.
Kishor Jaiswal, a structural engineer with the USGS, said that buildings in the affected areas were also in danger.
According to Jaiswal, there are numerous older high-rise buildings in this region of southern Turkey, whereas new buildings in cities like Istanbul were built with modern earthquake standards in mind. Researchers said that Syria's rapid construction and years of war may have also made buildings vulnerable.
Following the earthquake, thousands of buildings were said to have collapsed, according to officials. According to Jaiswal, one of them was a phenomenon known as a "pancake collapse," in which the upper floors of a building fall directly onto the lower floors.
Freezing temperatures and traffic jams caused by residents trying to leave quake-stricken areas have hampered rescue efforts.
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Freezing temperatures and traffic jams caused by residents trying to leave quake-stricken areas have hampered rescue efforts.
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