Fake news about Kahramanmaraş earthquake has been announced!

On February 6, at 4.17 am, a devastating earthquake occurred in Kahramanmaraş. After this earthquake, which affected 10 provinces, many claims were made about the situation. TR Presidency of Communications Directorate announced the fake news about the earthquake.

Fake news about Kahramanmaraş earthquake has been announced!

Center for Combating Disinformation of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, since October 2022 Disinformation BulletinHe shares the unfounded allegations of the week with In the bulletin dated February 6, fake news about the earthquake was discussed.

Fake news announced by the Presidency of Communications

• The Allegation that “Search and Rescue Work Is Not Performed in the Earthquake Zone”
• The Claim of “The Red Crescent Regional Blood Center in Malatya Was Completely Destroyed After the Earthquake”
• The Claim of “Disabled Persons in Malatya Private Trust Care Center Stay on the Streets”
• The Claim of “A 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Occurred in Sakarya”
• The Claim that “Adana Airport has been Closed to Flights Until a Second Decision”
• ”AFAD Announces That An Earthquake of 8.5 Intensity Is Expected in the Evening Hours”
• The Claim “After the Earthquake, a 100 Lira Blanket Was 250 Lira in a Day in Uşak”
• Some Images Shared with the Claim of “Earthquake Moment in Kahramanmaraş”
• The Claim that “There Will Be an Earthquake of 6.3 Magnitude in One Hour in Samsun”

The Allegation that “Search and Rescue Work Is Not Performed in the Earthquake Zone”

The claims that “search and rescue operations are not carried out in the disaster area” shared by some social media accounts are untrue. After the earthquakes affecting 10 provinces in Kahramanmaraş, search and rescue efforts continue.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that as of February 6, at 13:04, 9 thousand personnel were carrying out search and rescue operations and this number was constantly increasing. According to the latest statement made by AFAD, approximately 15 thousand search and rescue personnel, as well as approximately 5 thousand vehicles and construction equipment, were assigned to the region affected by the earthquake.

In addition, 10 thousand 409 AFAD volunteers support the work. These teams continue their search and rescue activities with 216 vehicles and 3 thousand 226 heavy equipment. In addition to the teams and ambulances in 10 provinces, 602 ambulances, 187 UMKE teams and 2 ambulance planes from outside the province reached the damaged provinces with a total of 2,256 emergency health personnel.

In addition, more than 3,500 Mehmetçik contribute to the search and rescue efforts in the earthquake area. Rescue activities continue for citizens trapped under collapsed buildings in provinces damaged by the earthquake. Within the scope of these works, 6 thousand 345 people were rescued from the rubble as of February 6, 2023 at 23:50.

The Claim of “The Red Crescent Regional Blood Center in Malatya Was Completely Destroyed After the Earthquake”

The claims that “The Red Crescent Regional Blood Center was completely destroyed in Malatya after the earthquake” is untrue. After the earthquakes, minor damage occurred in the Malatya Kızılay Regional Blood Center building. The damage is not enough to stop the activities in the building. Malatya Red Crescent Regional Blood Center continues its activities.

The Claim of “Disabled Persons in Malatya Private Trust Care Center Stay on the Streets”

The images shared with the claim that “disabled people in Malatya Private Trust Care Center stay on the street” contain manipulation. The images were shared on social media with the claim in question, were the subject of news in the media and were voiced by some politicians.

Since the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that occurred at 13:24 in Kahramanmaraş-Elbistan was felt in Malatya, the disabled individuals who were staying at the Private Güvenim Care Center during the earthquake were taken to the garden and outside the institution. In the meantime, it was claimed that disabled people were staying on the street with a video that was shot and served by an unknown person.

The Ministry of Family and Social Services contacted the Malatya Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services and the care center, and it was learned that the image in the video belongs to the earthquake and the disabled people were taken back into the institution because there was no problem in the building. Claims that disabled people are excluded are purely for manipulation.

The Claim of “A 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Occurred in Sakarya”

In some media organs, “A 5.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in Sakarya at 15:03 on 6 February.” claim is not true. There is no such record in the data of AFAD institution, which has the most seismic stations in Turkey. When the data of international earthquake research institutions as well as the Kandilli Observatory are analyzed, it is seen that such an earthquake did not exist.

The Claim that “Adana Airport has been Closed to Flights Until a Second Decision”

Following the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that occurred in the Pazarcık District of Kahramanmaraş, claims were made on social media and some news sites that “Adana Airport was closed to flights until a second decision”.

According to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure’s statement, the allegations are completely unfounded. Adana Airport is open to air traffic.

The Claim of “AFAD Announces that an 8.5 Intensity Earthquake is Expected in the Evening”

The claim that “AFAD has made a statement that an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.5 is expected in the evening,” shared on some social media accounts, is not true. No such statement has been made by AFAD or any institution.

The Claim “After the Earthquake, a 100 Lira Blanket Was 250 Lira in a Day in Uşak”

The claim that “Blankets, which were sold for 100 TL in the morning in Uşak, are now being sold for 250 TL,” shared in some social media accounts with reference to the earthquake disaster, is not true. According to the press release made by the Uşak Governorship, it was stated that the prices of the blankets produced in the city vary between 100 TL and 350 TL depending on the materials they contain.

Within the scope of the studies carried out by the Provincial Directorate of Commerce, no price inconsistencies were detected before and after the earthquake. In addition, 100 thousand blankets were sent to the earthquake zones as donations from the first moment of the earthquake by the citizens of Uşak.

Some Images Shared with the Claim of “Earthquake Moment in Kahramanmaraş”

Some images shared on social media with the claim of “the moment of earthquake in Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş” do not belong to the relevant earthquake moment. It has been determined that the said images belong to the 6.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the Seferihisar district of İzmir on October 30, 2020.

The Claim that “There Will Be an Earthquake of 6.3 Magnitude in One Hour in Samsun”

The claim in a voice recording shared from some social media accounts that “There will be an earthquake of 6.3 magnitude in an hour in Samsun” is completely unfounded. In the statement made by the Governorship of Samsun, it was stated that Samsun was also affected by the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the center of Elbistan at 13:24, and that there were no adverse events reported so far.

In the statement, citizens were called to disregard the unfounded claims that “an earthquake will occur in 1 hour in Samsun” and to follow the statements of official sources.

Explanations about false news, Disinformation BulletinTaken from.

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