Gaziantep (Turkey)

The massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria not only left bustling neighbourhoods in ruins but also destroyed the 2,000-year-old Gaziantep Castle from the Roman Empire, a historic site and tourist attraction in Turkey.

Gaziantep castle, located in the heart of the city fell, quite literally, during the earthquake that struck in the early hours of February 6.

Death toll from the calamity has, so far, crossed 36,000.

The castle, which stood strong and remained intact even in the face of invasion and conquest, was destroyed after more than two millennia by the devastating earthquake.

Terming the incident 'unfortunate', Ahmad, a local of Gaziantep said, "We are very sad because of the earthquake, this historical palace has been destroyed."

Locals in Gaziantep said the castle, more than 2000 years old, was built for surveillance in the city. The Roman king got it constructed in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. It was further developed during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. After this, its present form came into existence. Earlier it was used by the army of the Roman Empire. Later it was developed into a memorial for the brave.

Another local Mohammad said, "This palace is our pride but the earthquake destroyed it. i hope it will be restored to its original state again."

Due to the powerful earthquake in Turkey, the walls of this castle cracked and then fell. The castle broke into two parts. The iron railing built around the castle also fell. Apart from this, big cracks were also seen in the floor of the castle.

With Turkey still counting its dead and struggling to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy, India and many other countries came forward to help.

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Under 'Operation Dost', India is helping Turkey in the earthquake-affected area and conducting search and rescue operations. To save trapped survivors trapped under of rubble of collapsed concrete, the Indian Army has also established 60 Para Field Hospitals in Turkey.