Turkey earthquake official death toll nears 300, some crude, gas flows halted

LONDON (ICIS)–At least 284 people have died and thousands are injured in the wake of an earthquake that hit southeastern Turkey in the early hours of Monday morning, with natural gas deliveries to parts of the affected area and some crude pipeline flows halted.

The official death toll as of 10:00 local time was 284, according to Turkey’s Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management (AFAD), with over 2,300 recorded injured so far.

The quake has also affected Syria, with combined deaths in the two countries standing at 650, according to Syrian state media.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the city Kahramanmaras at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT), with the death toll so far centred there and in nearby Gazientep, an industrial hub and the heart of Turkey’s textile industry and major plastics consumer.

Chemicals produced in the affected region include soda ash, polyester fibres and polymers, fertilizer and polyethylene terephthalate.

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Electricity has been cut off for 27 of the municipalities affected by the earthquake and aftershocks, according to AFAD, with natural gas flows cut off to inlet stations at Nurdagi and Islahiye in Gazientep province.

Some crude oil flows along pipelines operated by state company BOTAS have also been suspended, according to AFAD.

Natural gas transmission lines have been damaged in Gazientep, Hatay and Kahramanmaras provinces, according to a statement from BOTAK. Electricity supply to Adanas is continuing, with a local source stating that power may be restored to Gazientep later today.

Additional reporting by Nurluqman Suratman and Samantha Wright, infographics by Miguel Rodriguez-Fernandez and Yashas Mudumbai.

Thumbnail picture: Collapsed buildings in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey Source: Ahmet Yukus/Depo Photos via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock