Türkiye marked the second anniversary of the two devastating earthquakes that struck the southern part of the country on Feb. 6, 2023, mourning the victims of the tragedy, which left 53,537 dead and more than 107,000 injured.
Residents in cities hit by the earthquakes gathered in town squares at 4.17 a.m. on Thursday, the time the first tremor struck, to observe a moment of silence for the victims.
Silent marches were also held in several cities to honor the victims of the disaster.
In Pazarcik, the district at the epicenter of the Kahramanmaras earthquake, residents gathered in front of the Clock Tower, which has remained stopped at 4.17 a.m.
In Hatay, one of the hardest-hit provinces, representatives from the three Abrahamic religions offered prayers as part of the commemoration ceremony.
Red carnations were later thrown into the Orontes River, known as the Asi River in Türkiye, in memory of those who lost their lives.
On Feb. 6, 2023, magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes struck 11 Turkish provinces-Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.
More than 14 million people in Türkiye were affected by the quakes as well as many others in northern Syria.
-TURKIYE TO CONTINUE REBUILDING QUAKE-HIT REGIONS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared a message on X Thursday honoring the 53,537 victims of the earthquakes, praying for mercy on their souls.
"From day one, we united as a state and a people, saying 'we are one,' and never once withdrew our support from the earthquake-affected regions," he said.
He pledged continued rebuilding efforts, saying they would proceed with "unwavering determination, hard work, and resilience" until every citizen has a safe home.
Later Thursday, Erdoğan will attend a memorial program in Adıyaman.
