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Tsunami alert: Egypt’s geophysics body weighs in on possibility after Turkey quake
Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) ruled out the possibility of the country being hit by a tsunami after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing hundreds of people.
At least 4,365 people have died in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the quake that is considered the strongest to hit the region in nearly a century.
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Watch: An injured child is rescued from earthquake rubble in #Syria's Azaz. A total of at least 500 people in #Turkey and Syria were killed in the devastating #earthquake that hit both countries. https://t.co/n2YxrBjhdu pic.twitter.com/SSWlmTPU85
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 6, 2023
The death toll is expected to keep rising as rescue teams in both countries continue to dig through the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Powerful tremors were also felt in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, and several other neighboring countries.
Watch: A video shows a collapsed building in #Turkey in the aftermath of an earthquake that left 53 people dead. https://t.co/bENgkTTjkH pic.twitter.com/RzyYTHLveV
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 6, 2023
NRIAG’s Chairman Gad el-Qadi said that an initial tsunami warning had been issued for the eastern Mediterranean Sea region – including Egypt’s coastal areas – but it was withdrawn after research indicated that it was unlikely to occur.
Italy’s Civil Protection Department had issued a statement early Monday recommending people to move away from coastal areas but later reduced the alert and tweeted that it had been withdrawn.
Egyptian land is stable, and people should not panic about the possibility of a tsunami, el-Qadi said at a press conference on Monday.
Hours after the first initial earthquake and multiple tremors, another quake struck southeast Turkey at 1:24 p.m. local time with a magnitude of 7.5, according to US Geological Survey.
Watch: A live television broadcast captures the moment a second #earthquake hit #Turkey, sending people running.https://t.co/JjFkvrhqIA pic.twitter.com/2fYv6CrkkU
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 6, 2023
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