Huge Earthquakes Hit Turkey and Syria | Newsround

#Newsround #iPlayer #earthquake #turkey #syria #worldnews Welcome to the official BBC Newsround YouTube channel. Subscribe here ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ https://bit.ly/3bYidJ3 Emergency services have been helping people throughout the night in southern Turkey and Syria after two powerful earthquakes struck the region on Monday. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck during the night, in the early hours of Monday morning. This was followed a few hours later by a second earthquake in the same region, which had a magnitude of 7.5. The first quake was so strong it was felt in various Turkish cities, including the capital Ankara, as well as in neighbouring countries Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Help is being offered from around the world, with more than 65 countries sending food, medicine, shelter supplies as well as specialist teams to assist rescuers. Rescuers have been helping people after hundreds of buildings collapsed in both countries, and search teams have been working through the night, although freezing temperatures, snow and rain have made conditions difficult. At least 2,800 buildings are thought to have been destroyed in Monday's first quake, meaning many thousands of people could be left without shelter. Schools in 10 cities and provinces are to be shut for a week to keep people safe, while some airports have been closed or partially closed. Some experts believe the first earthquake could be Turkey's largest on record. It's been reported that several thousand people are injured and more than four thousand people have died. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken to the country on TV. He said search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the areas affected. On social media he sent his "best wishes" to all affected citizens: "We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible," he said. The President has also asked people in the affected regions not to use their mobile phones so that emergency services can work together better. The UK, US, Israel, India, Pakistan and Ukraine were among the first countries to offer help following the disaster. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK "stands ready" to help in the aftermath of the earthquake. The United States is also ready to provide assistance with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan saying the US was "profoundly concerned by today's destructive earthquake". Turkey's emergency agency, AFAD, said that more than 2,600 personnel from 65 countries have been sent to the affected areas to help Turkish rescuers. Why does Turkey have earthquakes? Situated on or near several fault lines, Turkey is one of the world's most active earthquake zones. Earthquakes often happen when two giant pieces of the Earth's crust - called tectonic plates - rub up against each other. The points where they meet are called fault lines, or faults. How are earthquakes measured? Earthquakes are measured on a scale called the moment magnitude scale. A tremor of 2.5 or less usually cannot be felt, but can be detected by instruments. Quakes of up to five are felt and cause minor damage. The Turkish earthquakes at 7.8 and 7.5 are classified as major and usually causes serious damage. Most of Turkey is on the Anatolian tectonic plate, which sits between two large plates - the Eurasian and African plates - and another smaller one, the Arabian. As the two large plates shift, Turkey is essentially squeezed, experts say. These earthquakes have happened around what's known as the East Anatolian fault, which runs south-west to north-west of the south-eastern border of Turkey. Seismologists have long recognised that this fault is very dangerous, though there has not been any significant activity for more than 100 years, but it has been responsible for very damaging earthquakes in the past. Although Monday's earthquakes were very large, smaller ones are common in the country. The country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) recorded over 22,000 in 2022. Please visit www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/13865002 for tips about what to do if you are feeling sad about what you've seen, heard or read. We have everything for an inquisitive mind – do you want to know what’s going on in the world? Complex stories explained in a way that makes sense to you? Well, you’re in the right place! To watch the daily bulletins head to the BBC iPlayer and to get involved with votes and have your say on a news story head over to the Newsround website ➡️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround For daily news bulletins visit the BBC iPlayer ➡️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...