The devastating effects of the two earthquakes that hit southern Turkey, killing more than 41,000 people, are manifesting day by day. The report of the Turkish newspaper “Hurriyet” indicates that the earthquake, the epicenter of which was Kahramanmarash, caused deep cracks in the mountain in the Aksadagh region of Malatya.
The earthquake destroyed many houses and buildings in Aksadagh and split the mountain in the Aktepe region, known as the “Deer Rock”, into two parts.
According to a Turkish newspaper, citizens visiting the area were stunned by the scene they saw when the mountain was accidentally split open by a devastating earthquake.
Hurriyet quotes Zafer Cahit Leventoglu, a resident of the area, who said that he climbed into the mountainous region following the cracks behind the ruined houses, where they saw cracks splitting the mountain in two, extending for about 3 kilometers.
On Sunday, Turkish authorities announced the end of the search for survivors of the earthquake, which occurred about two weeks ago and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
Turkish authorities said the search for quake survivors was “completed in all regions except two provinces,” noting that the death toll from the quake had risen to 40,689.
Rescuers from several countries took part in the search work, which began on Monday, February 6, as a result of which hundreds of survivors were found under the rubble.
The massive earthquake that hit Turkey left hundreds of thousands dead and injured, with property damage estimated at between $30 billion and $40 billion.