Turkey and northern Syria shaken by earthquake

Local residents in the provinces of Raqqa, Ras al-Ayn, and northern Aleppo countryside reported feeling the tremor today, prompting widespread evacuation from homes and commercial establishments.

Turki Khalil, a resident of the town of Suluk in northern Raqqa countryside, told Deutsche Welle (DW) that “everyone in shops and homes evacuated due to the earthquake and fears of further aftershocks.”

Khalil added that residents in northern Syria still carry painful memories of the February 2023 earthquake that struck the region, killing and injuring thousands and causing widespread destruction. He noted that the epicenter of today’s tremor was north of Suluk, on the Turkish side, in the same area affected by the February 2023 quake.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced today, in a statement relayed by KUNA, that a 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey. The epicenter was located in Şanlıurfa province, and the tremor was clearly felt in neighboring provinces, including Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, and Malatya.

AFAD noted that the intensity of the tremor sparked anxiety among residents, particularly in areas still recalling the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquake.

Returning to Syria, Hamad al-Ajil from the city of Manbij in northern Aleppo countryside confirmed that the towns of Jarabulus and Azaz, as well as all border areas with Turkey, felt the tremor, with residents expressing heightened concern.