Evaluation of Deaths in Malatya Due to the Earthquake Centered in Kahramanmaras on 6 February 2023.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively examine the cases of individuals who lost their lives as a result of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on February 6, 2023, and were brought to the study area designated by the Malatya Forensic Medicine Group Presidency.

Methods: A total of 916 cases were referred for identification to the center designated as the study area by the Malatya Forensic Medicine Group Presidency following the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, and were examined retrospectively. The obtained data were coded and entered into IBM SPSS Version 22. Descriptive statistics and frequency tables were generated, and the data were analyzed.

Results: Among the 916 cases included in the study, 477 (52.1%) were male and 439 (47.9%) were female; 23.2% were under the age of 18, and 13.8% were over the age of 65. The majority (87.9%) were citizens of the Republic of Türkiye. Most injuries were localized to the head and neck region (37.5%). Body integrity was preserved in 88.3% of cases, and signs of decomposition were observed in 77.1%. Fast Technology for the Analysis of Nucleic Acids blood samples was obtained in 39.5% of cases. All bodies were identified through a combination of primary and secondary identification methods and subsequently delivered to their relatives.

Conclusions: In countries facing major disaster risks, forensic medicine units must always be prepared for such events. Postmortem examination and victim identification are multidisciplinary processes that require the coordinated efforts of experts from various fields.