A video showing strange behavior of birds prior to the three earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria has gone viral on the social media. A 7.8-magnitude quake earthquakes truck Turkey and Syria on Monday leaving more than 3,800 people dead and thousands injured.
The US Geological Survey said quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the town of Nurdagi. It was centered 18 kilometers (11 miles) deep. It was one of the largest ever recorded in Turkey. The second quake, triggered by the first, had a magnitude of 7.5, and its epicenter was in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province.
Did the Birds Sense the Earthquake Earlier?
The nearly 45-second clip shows flocks of birds sitting on trees surrounded by buildings early in the morning, minutes before the earthquake created havoc. While some birds continue to sit on the branches, a lot of others are seen flying frantically around the trees. Loud chirping sounds can also be heard as the birds continue to fly everywhere.
The video was recorded by a person as he stood on the rooftop as he zooms in and out the video recording the strange behavior of the birds. It caused a lot of chatter on social media as well. "The nature is more powerful than we think. Birds displayed unusual behavior just before the earthquake in Turkey. Prayers for Turkey," wrote a user.
"Birds went crazy moments before the massive Turkey earthquake. Birds are extremely sensitive to electromagnetic pulse and scalar waves (HAARP)," wrote another user.
"The footage is from #Turkey before the #earthquake that brought death & destruction. Look at the panicky birds,the sense of danger... Heartfelt Condolences to the families who lost their loved ones,may Allah heal your wounds soon, Aameen," read a tweet.
Can Animals Predict Earthquake?
USGS reported that the earliest reference about the unusual animal behavior prior to a significant earthquake is from Greece in 373 BC when rats, weasels, snakes, and centipedes reportedly left their homes and headed for safety several days before a destructive earthquake.
"Anecdotal evidence abounds of animals, fish, birds, reptiles, and insects exhibiting strange behavior anywhere from weeks to seconds before an earthquake. However, consistent and reliable behavior prior to seismic events, and a mechanism explaining how it could work, still eludes us," read the report.
BBC reported that the WHO has warned that the numbers of dead and injured are likely to increase as much as eight times, as rescuers find more victims in the rubble.
"We always see the same thing with earthquakes, unfortunately, which is that the initial reports of the numbers of people who have died or who have been injured will increase quite significantly in the week that follows," the WHO's senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood said.
