Relive Turkey's Devastating 7.2 Earthquake
The body count from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that shook eastern Turkey on Sunday is up to 138 and is expected to rise, Al Jazeera is reporting. Many survivors are still trapped beneath the rubble of hundreds of collapsed buildings in the cities of Ercis and Van.
Israel, who felt the quake, has extended an offer of aid — anything "from food, medicine, medical staff and equipment and search-and-rescue teams" — which the Turkish government has declined. This comes during a period of deeply frayed relations between the two countries, following a disastrous raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla that resulted in the death of nine Turkish citizens. Turkey maintains it has declined offers of aid from dozens of countries, not just Israel.
To get an idea of the force and length of such a tremor, watch this terrifying video taken from inside a building in Van. In it, you can hear the voice of a man praying as office furniture and computer equipment crashes to the ground around him. [AlperenceGrup/YouTube via Village Voice]