Oct 30, 2020
The Israel Defense Forces are sending aid to Turkey after an earthquake rocked the Turkish city of Izmir and Greek island of Samos on Friday.
The tremor crumbled at least 20 buildings in Izmir, the Mayor Tunc Soyer told CNN. So far, some 70 people have been pulled from the rubble, said Izmir Governor Yavuz Selim Kosger, according to the state-run Anadolu News Agency. At least six people have been reported dead and some 200 believed injured.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz ordered the IDF to prepare emergency humanitarian aid for Turkey, he tweeted Friday. IDF officials and Turkey’s military attaché in Israel met to discuss the crisis prior to Gantz’ announcement.
The earthquake sent waves from the Aegean Sea into the streets of Izmir and Samos, dragging debris and household items. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said the quake measured 6.9 on the Richter scale. The United States Geological Survey measured the tremor at 7.0.
At least 120 are believed to have been injured in Izmir alone, said Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. Two young adults were reported to have died on Samos. The earthquake was reportedly felt as far away as Athens.
Video of building collapses in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, spread on social media on Monday.
Turkey’s disaster management agency reported a second tremor, this one measuring 5.1, in the Aegean on Friday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Friday that Turkey was ready to aid Greece if needed, Anadolu reported.
