Drone Footage Reveals Antakya’s Ancient Ruins After Twin Quakes

Haunting drone footage shows Antakya’s historic old town reduced to rubble after back-to-back 7.8-magnitude earthquakes rocked southern Türkiye and northern Syria on February 6. Once bustling with life, the ancient city of Antioch – a cultural gem dating to 300 BCE – now lies shattered, its streets choked with debris as rescue teams race against time.

CGTN journalists captured aerial views of collapsed homes and crumbled landmarks in Hatay province, where emergency workers dig through concrete slabs under floodlights . The quakes, striking just hours apart, have turned vibrant communities into ghost towns overnight.

\"It’s like a warzone,\" said one local responder, describing how Byzantine-era structures collapsed beside modern buildings. International aid teams from 45+ countries have mobilized, but freezing temperatures and damaged roads complicate efforts.

With over 45,000 fatalities reported across both countries, this disaster highlights the fragility of heritage sites in seismic zones. Yet amid the ruins, stories emerge: a newborn pulled alive from wreckage after 128 hours, volunteers sharing viral TikTok fundraisers , and UNESCO pledging to rebuild Antakya’s legacy.

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Drone footage shows old town Antakya in rubbles after Türkiye quake

cgtn.com