13 Shocking Events That Rocked the World in 2023: Turkey Earthquake, Israel-Hamas War and Hilda Baci’s Record-Breaking Dash.Â
As 2023 comes to an end, let’s take a look back at some of the events that shook the world.
From several devastating earthquakes, coups in Africa, conflicts in Israel and Gaza, the coronation ceremony of King Charles III, to Nigeria’s general elections, these are some of the major events that shaped 2023.
1. Turkey and Syria Earthquake
On the early morning of February 6, a powerful earthquake struck parts of Turkey and neighboring Syria, claiming over 67,000 lives as people slept. The 7.8 magnitude quake hit Southern Turkey near the Syrian border, causing extensive damage, with former Newcastle United and Ghana midfielder Christian Atsu among the casualties.
On September 8, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Morocco at a depth of 18.5 km around 10:00 pm. The quake’s epicenter was in a remote area of the High Atlas Mountains, south-west of Marrakesh. The earthquake resulted in the deaths of 2,946 people and left over 5,000 injured.
3. Titan Submersible Accident
On June 18, the search for a tourist Titan submarine, which was exploring the Titanic shipwreck, captured international attention when it disappeared in the North Atlantic Ocean. The submarine, with five people on board, was found about 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the Titanic after being missing for four days. Unfortunately, all on board, including Oceangate CEO Stockton Rush and British billionaire explorer Hamish Harding, perished when the submarine imploded.
4. Nigeria 2023 Election
In February, millions of Nigerians participated in the most competitive presidential election since the end of military rule in 1999. The election, which also included the selection of lawmakers for the national assembly and the house of representatives, as well as governorship elections in March, saw the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenged by the Labour Party as a third force.
5. Hilda Baci GWR Win
Nigerian chef Hilda Bassey Effiong, popularly known as Hilda Baci, made headlines by breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. In May, she cooked for an astonishing 100 hours, garnering immense support from notable figures like Vice President of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Governor of Lagos State Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, and award-winning singer Tiwa Savage.
6. Niger Coup
On July 26, soldiers in Niger announced on national TV that they had ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, marking the fifth coup in Niger since gaining independence from France in 1960. The coup drew condemnation from world leaders, institutions, and political bodies.
7. Gabon Coup
Just five weeks after the coup in Niger, Gabon President Ali Bongo found himself in a similar situation. On August 30, hours after the Gabon election commission announced President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s third-term victory, a group of Gabonese military officers from the elite presidential guard unit seized power and arrested the president in his palace.
8. Sudan Conflict
Sudan teetered on the brink of collapse as forces loyal to two rival generals battled for control of the resource-rich North African nation. The conflict resulted in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people since April.
9. Coronation of King Charles
On May 6, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were officially crowned in a historic ceremony at London’s Westminster Abbey. The coronation marked the 40th reigning monarch since 1066 and celebrated King Charles’s ascension to the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
10. Israel-Gaza War
On October 7, hundreds of Hamas gunmen crossed from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, breaking through the heavily guarded perimeter fence. The attack, the most serious cross-border attack against Israel in more than a generation, resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians. The Israeli military responded with air strikes on Gaza and launched a ground offensive.
11. Twitter Name Change to X
In a surprising move, tech billionaire Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to “X” on July 23, causing a stir on social media. Musk, who had acquired Twitter in 2022, officially referred to the platform as Twitter X and changed its logo on phones, websites, and Twitter accounts.
12. Global Temperatures Shatter Records
2023 is possibly the hottest year on record, with global temperatures reaching levels not seen in 125,000 years. The world average temperature set a new record in July, prompting warnings of serious heatwaves across Europe, the Southern US, and worldwide. Climate change was identified as a significant factor, making heatwaves longer, more intense, and more frequent.
