Enlarge / A child who escaped from under debris on February 8, 2023, in Hatay, Turkey. (credit: Getty Images News )

Search and rescue efforts continue after earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, displacing thousands and killing more than 11,000, AlJazeera reported . Amid this ongoing emergency, a new report suggests that Twitter access has been restricted in Turkey, cutting off a critical social media tool that rescue efforts rely on to quickly communicate needs and request assistance globally.

The independent global Internet monitor NetBlocks reported Wednesday morning that network data confirmed that Twitter has been restricted on multiple network providers, including TTNet and Turkcell. There has been “no formal explanation” from Turkey authorities, but NetBlocks notes that Turkey often acts to prevent alleged disinformation during national emergencies, as it did last year following a terrorist attack , and it has “an extensive history of social media restrictions” during such events.

Alp Toker, NetBlocks’ director, told Ars that this is the first time NetBlocks has detected what appears to be social media restrictions in response to a natural disaster, though. Toker says the negative impact of imposing such a restriction at this moment “can’t be understated.”