All Syracuse University students studying abroad in Istanbul are safe and were not affected by the Oct. 23 earthquake in Van.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake was the most powerful to hit Turkey in more than a decade, according to an Oct. 26 CNN article. It devastated parts of eastern Turkey, leaving more than 1,300 people injured and at least 461 dead.

Because the region of Van is about 1,000 miles away from Istanbul, the earthquake and its aftershocks were not felt by the students, said Carrie Abbott, associate director for admissions and student services at SU Abroad.

SU Abroad issued a statement on its website that stated, ‘The October 23 earthquake in southeastern Turkey has not impacted SU Istanbul students. All are accounted for and safe. The quake occurred in the region of Van, approximately 1,000 miles from Istanbul.’

Rescue teams in Turkey are working to extract survivors from the rubble left from the earthquake. By Monday, more than 2,300 emergency rescuers were in the region. A 2-week-old girl and her mother were rescued Tuesday, two days after the earthquake, according to the CNN article.

International relief organizations such as Turkish Red Crescent and ShelterBox are working to provide food, shelter and other relief items to those displaced by the earthquake. Tent camps have been set up and a crisis center was set up by Turkey’s Health Ministry in the capital of Ankara, according to the article.

[email protected]

Published on October 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Breanne: [email protected] | @bre_vann