REVIEW

The earthquake in Turkey and Syria – February 6th

(BBC News)

On Feb. 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake

occurred in southern Turkey near the northern
border of Syria. This quake was followed
approximately nine hours later by a magnitude
7.5 earthquake located around 59 miles (95
kilometers) to the southwest. As of Feb. 18, at
least 5,700 aftershocks have occurred
according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency
Management Authority (AFAD).

On Feb. 20, a 6.4 magnitude

earthquake killed three people and injured 213 in southern Turkey. The Feb. 6
earthquake was the most devastating to hit earthquake-prone Turkey in more than
20 years and was as strong as one in 1939, the most powerful recorded there.

Why was it so daedly?

It is not only the power of the tremor that causes devastation.

This incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, when people were inside
and sleeping.
The sturdiness of the buildings is also a factor.
Dr Carmen Solana, reader in volcanology and risk communication at the University
of Portsmouth, says: "The resistant infrastructure is unfortunately patchy in South
Turkey and especially Syria, so saving lives now mostly relies on response. The
next 24 hours are crucial to find survivors. After 48 hours the number of survivors
decreases enormously.
 Brazil floods: death toll rises to 48 as landslides
and looters prevent aid reaching survivors
Dozens missing in south-eastern São Paulo state as
rescue crews search for bodies in the rubble of homes
- (The Guardian)

Search and rescue teams raced to find

dozens of people that remained missing after
heavy rains devastated coastal areas of
Brazil’s south-eastern São Paulo state, as the
official death toll rose to 48.

“We are currently working with a tally of

at least 38 missing people,” the São Paulo
governor, Tarcísio de Freitas, told reporters
on Wednesday, as weather forecasters
cautioned more rain was on its way.

Massive downpours have caused landslides and flooding in coastal towns of

Brazil’s richest state, which has so far been hit by more than 600mm (23.6 inches)
of rain, the highest cumulative figure ever in the country.The city of São Sebastiao,
located about 200km (124.3 miles) from São Paulo, bore the brunt of the human toll,
with 47 of the reported deaths. But nearby towns such as Ilhabela, Caraguatatuba,
Bertioga and Ubatuba were also heavily affected.