The Syria-Turkey Earthquake

On Monday, February 6, 2023, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook the nations of Syria and Turkey, leaving over 12,000 dead. This grave loss is only climbing as rescue teams desperately search for survivors. Tens of thousands of injured survivors were reported, and the number just keeps growing.

The problem is that the freezing temperatures are impeding the rescue teams from 70 countries and 14 organizations sent to Turkey. But getting help to Turkey is easier than Syria, which is in a civil war. President Bashar al-Assad of Syria wants all help sent to the capital, Damascus. Aid can only be sent through one route that isn’t part of the Turkish-controlled areas. Some of these areas are the ones most affected by the quake and need the most help.

As I mentioned before, the temperatures and storms are hindering the rescue teams. The rubble isn’t helping either. Some, like the Demir sisters, have spent days stuck under rubble. These two were trapped under a concrete slab of a collapsed building. They spent 62 hours underneath the rubble until a rescue team arrived.

Irregularly low temperatures are stopping rescue teams from doing the work they need to. “Our hands cannot pick up anything because of the cold,” a journalist reported. Despite it being many days after the quake, the searches continue. While it’s statistically improbable for the people still lost under the rubble to be able to survive this long, hope triumphs. The rescue teams sift through the huge amounts of rubble, trying to find anyone who could still be out there.

Tens of millions were affected by this travesty, whether it be the injured, dead, or ones who lost their homes. This region is along a fault line, which makes it prone to earthquakes, though not of this sheer magnitude. There are only usually 10-15 a year of 7.0-7.9 magnitude.

The death count only grows higher, making this one of the worst earthquakes in a decade. The count of total deaths from earthquakes in 2022 was 15,438, so this earthquake alone could surpass that. As the rescue teams continue to search, they rescue those close to death. We thank the countries and organizations who sent help to the countries in need.

Sources:

LUKE FANN

Editor-in-Chief at The City Voice | fann-l@students.grps.org

Editor-in-Chief Luke Fann is a junior at City and freelances for Rapid Growth Media's Voices of Youth program. He also attends Michigan State University's MIPA Summer Journalism Workshop, receiving the Sparty Award in Journalistic Storytelling and the Art of Storytelling. Additionally, he recieved an Award of Excellence in the Level Up: Leadership for Media program in 2025 and earned an honorable mention for his piece on AI and LLMs at the 2024 MIPA Spring Awards.

Luke began writing in 7th grade and became an editor by the following year. By his sophomore year, he was Managing Editor and then Editor-in-Chief. As for writing, he focuses on business and technology news, taking a deeper dive into topics rather than focusing solely on breaking news. He also covers personal interests, and his weekly editorials offer unique takes on timely issues.

If you're interested in writing for The City Voice, especially as a middle schooler or Underclassman, reach out to Luke or attend a meeting. Journalism is a great way to express your passions. No matter your background, The City Voice wants to hear your voice.