Two earthquakes – one of the strongest in a century – hit southeastern Turkey yesterday, along with northwestern Syria.

Dozens of Turkish provinces have been badly damaged, with the World Health Organization saying 23 million people are “potentially exposed, including five million vulnerable people”, fearing the death toll could exceed 20,000.

“We are facing one of the biggest disasters not only in the history of our country but also of the world,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, declaring a three-month state of emergency in the ten provinces affected by the earthquakes.

Neighbouring provinces, such as Antalya, a province and resort town several hundred kilometers to the west, were not affected by the earthquake. In the coastal city of the province, relief efforts for earthquake victims at centres set up in various places are also supported by Russians and Ukrainians living there.

Russian Alexei Naidenyshev, 26, told Turkey’s Anadolu news agency that he sprang into action when he heard about the quake on social media.

“When I saw such a disaster, I wanted to be with the women, the elderly, and the people who were waiting for help. I stand with the Turkish people in good and bad times,” he said.

Anna Aba, a Ukrainian who donated clothes for the earthquake victims, said: “Turkey is helping us, so we will do whatever is necessary for the country. I feel very sad when I see the children there.”

Antalya is a popular destination for foreign holidaymakers and retirees, including those from countries such as Britain, Germany, and Russia. Since the start of the war in Ukraine last February, the population of Russians and Ukrainians in the city has grown.

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