On the early morning of February 6, 2023, at precisely 4:17 a.m. local time, a catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey and parts of northern Syria. The epicenter, located approximately 26 kilometers east of Nurdagi on the East Anatolian Fault, unleashed devastation across 11 Turkish provinces, with the hardest hit city being Antakya (ancient Antioch) in Hatay province.
This event has since been recorded as Turkey’s deadliest and most destructive earthquake in modern history, killing more than 55,000 people and injuring over 107,000. In Syria, ravaged by over a decade of civil war, the quake claimed nearly 6,000 lives, compounding the humanitarian crisis.
The Earthquake and Its Aftermath
A general view of destroyed buildings, in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake, in Antakya, Turkey February 19, 2023. REUTERS/Nir Elias TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The initial tremor was followed by powerful aftershocks, including a 7.5-magnitude quake hours later, and a 6.7-magnitude event just 11 minutes after the first. The shallow depth of these quakes intensified the shaking felt on the surface, causing entire towns to collapse into rubble. Homes, hospitals, and historical landmarks—particularly in Hatay—were reduced to debris, while the cold winter weather and heavy rain hampered rescue efforts and worsened conditions for survivors.
Antakya, once a vibrant melting pot of cultures and a tourist attraction, remains scarred. Empty streets, shuttered businesses, and ongoing demolition works paint a grim picture of a city still struggling to recover. “Our wounds are still fresh, still bleeding,” said local activist Ozgur Tiras during the two-year anniversary commemoration. Residents gathered with laurel branches and torches to remember the exact moment the quake struck, chanting, “No forgetting, no forgiving, no reconciliation.”
The Human Toll and Displacement
Helin Oktay, who is rescued alive along with her family members, reacts as she is carried to an ambulance after being rescued from rubble, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Iskenderun, Turkey February 10, 2023. REUTERS/Yagiz Karahan
The death toll in Turkey officially surpassed 44,000, with Syria’s losses pushing the combined figure beyond 50,000. Over a million people were left homeless. Many survivors remain displaced, living in temporary housing, container homes, or tents under harsh conditions. The Hatay Earthquake Victims’ Association reported that more than 400,000 people still live in container-home cities with inadequate sanitation and healthcare, and concerns have been raised about asbestos exposure from unregulated demolitions.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies described the reconstruction pace as “far too slow” for a disaster of this magnitude. The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party criticized the government, noting only about 30% of the promised reconstruction has been completed, leaving millions without permanent homes two years later.
Government Response and Reconstruction Efforts
Members of a Greek rescue team work on the site of a collapsed building, as the search for survivors continues, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Hatay, Turkey February 11, 2023. REUTERS/Kemal Aslan
The Turkish government pledged to build 650,000 homes, aiming to complete nearly half within the first year. By February 2025, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that around 201,000 homes had been delivered, with 453,000 expected by the end of the year. The government reported spending $75 billion on rebuilding efforts and emphasized ongoing infrastructure repairs.
Despite these assurances, many survivors and aid organizations remain skeptical. Thousands continue to endure makeshift living conditions, while others have been forced to relocate far from their home provinces, fracturing communities and livelihoods.
A man sits next to rubble at the site of a collapsed building in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Antakya, Turkey February 10, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
Scientific Perspective: Why Was It So Severe?
The East Anatolian Fault, a strike-slip fault where two solid rock plates slide horizontally past one another, was largely quiet during the 20th century with few major earthquakes. However, the 2023 event ruptured a 100-kilometer stretch between the Anatolian and Arabian plates, releasing energy hundreds of times greater than comparable quakes in recent decades.
Experts highlighted the shallow depth of the quake as a key factor in the extreme surface shaking. Similar strike-slip faults, like California’s San Andreas Fault, are known for generating powerful and damaging earthquakes. Seismologists expect continued aftershocks for years, as the seismic activity spreads to neighboring faults.
