Massive Earthquake Shakes Turkey

Van and nearby cities have seen buildings collapse and hundreds of fatalities.

Eastern Turkey has been hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake this morning, leaving its vulnerable residents in desperate need of help. Prime Minister Erdogan has reported hundreds of fatalities and major damage just outside the city of Van, though he has not yet blamed it on the Kurds. The Turkish Red Crescent (yes, that’s really its name) has said that at least 25 apartment buildings have collapsed. This is not the first natural disaster for the Middle Eastern giant, after two devastating earthquakes in the late 90s killed nearly 20,000 people. Did we mention that Turkey sits on major fault lines?