Türkiye Earthquake Could Cost $4b in Economic Losses

Rescue teams near a collapsed building in the city of Kahramanmaras, southeastern Türkiye, as a result of a devastating earthquake. (EPA)
Rescue teams near a collapsed building in the city of Kahramanmaras, southeastern Türkiye, as a result of a devastating earthquake. (EPA)
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Türkiye Earthquake Could Cost $4b in Economic Losses

Rescue teams near a collapsed building in the city of Kahramanmaras, southeastern Türkiye, as a result of a devastating earthquake. (EPA)
Rescue teams near a collapsed building in the city of Kahramanmaras, southeastern Türkiye, as a result of a devastating earthquake. (EPA)

Fitch Ratings said insurable economic losses following the quakes (in Türkiye) could exceed $4 billion.

"Economic losses are hard to estimate as the situation is evolving, but they appear likely to exceed" $2 billion and could reach $4 billion "or more," Fitch Ratings said.

Insured losses will be much lower, possibly around $1 billion, due to low insurance coverage in the area, it added.

“We do not expect catastrophe bonds to be significantly affected as the earthquake risk they cover in the region is mostly limited to the Istanbul area,” according to Fitch.

In addition to 12,873 people killed in Türkiye, the country’s disaster management agency said that 62,937 have been injured.

A 7.7-magnitude quake struck early Monday, according to GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. It was followed by a 7.6-magnitude quake that struck at noon in addition to hundreds of aftershocks since then.



Khamenei Warns US Against Iran Action

A handout picture made available by the Iranian supreme leader’s office shows Ali Khamenei delivering an address to the nation in Tehran, Iran, 20 March 2025. EPA/Iranian supreme leader's office
A handout picture made available by the Iranian supreme leader’s office shows Ali Khamenei delivering an address to the nation in Tehran, Iran, 20 March 2025. EPA/Iranian supreme leader's office
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Khamenei Warns US Against Iran Action

A handout picture made available by the Iranian supreme leader’s office shows Ali Khamenei delivering an address to the nation in Tehran, Iran, 20 March 2025. EPA/Iranian supreme leader's office
A handout picture made available by the Iranian supreme leader’s office shows Ali Khamenei delivering an address to the nation in Tehran, Iran, 20 March 2025. EPA/Iranian supreme leader's office

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Friday that Tehran has no proxies in the region and that the groups it backs act independently.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he would hold Iran responsible for any attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthi militias that it says Iran supports in Yemen.
"America needs to know that if it messes with Iran, it will receive a severe slap," said Khamenei.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that Iran will consider the "opportunities" as well as the threats in a letter from Trump that urged it to reach a new nuclear deal, and will soon respond.

Khamenei rejected Trump's letter last week as deceptive, saying Trump's excessive demands would "tighten the knot of sanctions and increase pressure on Iran".
But Araqchi said Tehran was still evaluating the letter and weighing its reply.