A dark winter morning, with massive tremors, floating dust, clotted blood, scattered rubble and dispersed dead bodies.

Monday’s earthquake has done all this to Türkiye and Syria. Yes, in terms of magnitude and death toll so far, it does not qualify to be among the top five deadliest-ever recorded earthquakes across the globe. Still, it is perhaps the most intense in the recent history of Türkiye – the worst to strike in this century, with a magnitude of 7.7.

Natural disasters always bring unimaginable pain and misery with them, which leave permanent marks on many generations. With the death count crossing 1,000 – while innumerable people are still buried under the rubble and almost 300 deaths have been recorded in Syria – and thousands of injured are struggling for their survival, this earthquake has brought with it bitter memories from the 1999 earthquake in Izmit. The quantum of destruction is expected to be much higher than the Izmit quake because the magnitude on the Richter scale is higher.

One major difference is that, unlike the towns in the southeastern part of Türkiye, the 1999 earthquake occurred in the industrialized and most densely populated provinces of Istanbul and Sakarya, in addition to Kocaeli's Gölcük, Darıca and Derince districts. Though it is too early to predict the loss at this stage, however, the initial reports indicate that things could be much worse than the Izmit episode. More than 40 aftershocks were felt in the wake of the initial quake, including one with a magnitude of 7.5 that hit 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) south-southeast of the town of Ekinözü. The second massive earthquake within 12 hours further aggravated the situation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said the earthquake that struck in the early hours is the country’s largest disaster since 1939, adding that 2,818 buildings had collapsed as a result. The 1939 Erzincan earthquake that Erdoğan referenced is believed to have engulfed 33,000 people, while the 7.6 magnitude İzmit earthquake in 1999 is reported to have killed over 17,000 people.

Natural disasters are always tests for the nations and Turkiye has bravely faced several natural disasters in the past, including major earthquakes. The impact of the two back-to-back earthquakes is colossal. The affected area contains many buildings constructed of brick masonry or brittle concrete, making them extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking.

The earthquakes have resulted in widespread devastation – many buildings, including homes, schools, and hospitals, have been completely destroyed. The number of casualties is expected to rise as rescue operations continue. The Turkish government immediately mobilized its resources to respond to the disaster. Teams of rescue workers and medical personnel were dispatched to the affected area, and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) is working hard to establish tent houses to provide temporary shelter to those who have lost their homes. The Turkish military and local volunteer groups have also been involved in the relief and rescue efforts.

Exemplary and emotional scenes of mutual help are being witnessed in the affected areas. Rescue teams have been deployed to the affected areas, and search and rescue operations are underway to locate survivors trapped under the rubble. The earthquake has also caused widespread power outages, hindering rescue efforts in this cold weather. The aftershocks are likely to be experienced for several weeks, which may further hinder the rescue activities. There are three immediate challenges: the recovery of people still buried under tons of concrete in such extreme weather, temporary arrangements for the survivors and injured, and the long-term rehabilitation plan for the affected area and its inhabitants.

Türkiye is relatively better prepared and equipped to properly manage such natural disasters, as we have seen in the very recent case of the Izmir earthquake rehabilitation project, but the situation across the border in Syria is simply indescribable.

Syrians, suffering from 11 years of continuous war, are in no position to manage this catastrophe. The situation is quite dire in northwest Syria. Right now Syria is also going through a crisis, in addition to very bad weather conditions and collapsed buildings, and unfortunately, damaged hospitals. Even medical emergencies are also being compromised there. The earthquake has sparked a massive outpouring of support from around the world, with countries and organizations sending aid and resources to help with the relief efforts.

Even though the international community has generously offered to provide assistance; no amount of financial and material assistance can compensate for the broken families and lost loved ones. President Erdoğan, in his trademark leadership style, is making all-out efforts to handle this huge crisis. Turkiye has a proud history of being at the forefront of providing humanitarian aid to other countries during natural disasters.

In 2005, a massive earthquake struck the northern part of Pakistan – including Kashmir – which resulted in 89,000 deaths and displaced 2 million people. At that time, Turkiye was the most active participant in the rescue and rehabilitation programs. Even today, many Turkish-sponsored schools and rehabilitation colonies remain of this gesture of the people of Türkiye.

Natural disasters are not a new challenge for Türkiye, which will again emerge victorious from this catastrophe. But the challenge is huge this time. It was not just one jolt, but two massive quakes. The good thing is that Turkish people are well-prepared to tackle it astutely.