VAN EARTHQUAKE

On october 23rd 2011, at 13.41 local time, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Van region, in eastern Turkey. The Disasters and Emergency Situations Directorate of Turkey (Afet ve Acil Durum Yönetimi Başkanlığı, AFAD) reported that the earthquake killed 604 people and injured a further 4,152. At least 11,232 buildings sustained damage in the region, 6,017 of which were found to be inhabitable.  At least around 60,000 people were left homeless.The earthquake and its aftershocks affected much of eastern Turkey, demolishing hundreds of buildings and burying numerous victims under the rubble. Erciş, a town 100 km far from  Van, was the epicenter of the quake and was hardest hit by the violent shaking.