Italian authorities have warned that the country’s coast could face a tsunami due to a powerful earthquake that claimed hundreds of lives in Türkiye and neighboring Syria early this morning.
In a statement on Monday, the Italian Civil Protection Department said the announcement was based on data processed by the Tsunami Warning Center. “It is recommended to move away from coastal areas, to nearby higher ground, and follow the instructions of local authorities.”
The ministry warns that “the warning indicates the possibility of a real danger to those near the coast,” especially in areas that are not very high, or even below sea level, add: “Even a wave only 0.5 meters high can create dangerous flooding and very strong currents.”
A series of 7.4 magnitude earthquakes hit southern Türkiye shortly after 4 a.m. Monday. According to Türkiye’s vice-president, Fuat Oktay, the disaster claimed the lives of at least 284 people, injured 2,323 others and destroyed 1,710 buildings.
In Syria, according to the country’s Ministry of Health, the earthquake killed at least 237 people and injured 639.
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