Three years pass since devastating earthquakes in Türkiye

Three years have passed since the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiyechr("39")s southeast on February 6, 2023, killing more than 53,000 people and leaving deep scars across the region and beyond.

Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.6 in magnitude hit Kahramanmaras province within 105 seconds of each other. The tremors were felt across 11 Turkish provinces and in neighboring countries, prompting authorities to describe the disaster as "the disaster of the century."

The twin earthquakes claimed the lives of 53,537 people and injured 107,213 others. Nearly 39,000 buildings collapsed, with search and rescue operations carried out in around 26,000 of them. Among the victims were four Azerbaijani students.

The sheer force of the tremors caused dramatic geological changes. In Hatay, a massive surface crack stretching 400 meters appeared. In Gaziantep, two hills merged, while in the Nurdagi district, a village was split in two. In Kahramanmaras, the village of Cigli shifted by 6.5 meters and Degirmenkaya moved by six meters.

Following the disaster, Türkiye declared a level-four alert, calling for international assistance. Search and rescue teams from 90 countries arrived in the affected areas. The first foreign team to reach Türkiye after the earthquakes was from Azerbaijanchr("39")s Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Azerbaijan sent a total of 725 personnel, including 41 medical workers. Azerbaijani teams arrived on February 6 and took part in search and rescue operations as well as other emergency efforts. They continued their mission until the first week of March and were the last foreign team to leave the country, rescuing 53 people from under the rubble.

Shortly after the disaster, an Azerbaijan Quarter was built in Kahramanmaras with Azerbaijanchr("39")s support. The project includes 456 residential apartments and 328 non-residential facilities. At the proposal of the Turkish government, the area where the Azerbaijan Boulevard is located was officially named the Azerbaijan Quarter.