Earthquake pummels Turkey, Syria

The earthquake struck at around 4:17am local time on 6 February in the southeast of the country, and was approximately 17.7 km deep, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). A second tremor measuring around 6.7 followed approximately 10 minutes later.

The shockwaves also crossed the border into northern Syria, where multiple buildings collapsed. Syria’s political instability is likely to further exacerbate the impact of the disaster, as will the state of its building infrastructure – much of which has been heavily damaged by the ongoing civil war. Supplying aid to the country will also be a challenge.

Over 600 deaths have been reported – however, the USGS estimates that the death toll has a 47 per cent chance of being between 1,000 and 10,000 people. This compared with a 27 per cent chance of deaths between 100 and 1,000, and 20 per cent for between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths.

The timing of the earthquake – before dawn, at a time when most people were asleep – is expected to be a significant factor in the number of fatalities.

Search and rescue operations are underway to dig survivors from the rubble. Further aftershocks are expected to cause additional damage.

The earthquake has also led to the suspension of all flights from Hatay Airport and Gaziantep Airport, while operations at Ceyhan Port have also been suspended.

The travel insurance sector has adapted to the risks of natural disasters in recent decades.