- A magnitude 7.8 earthquake has knocked down multiple buildings in southeast Turkey and northern Syria.
- At least 76 deaths were reported in Turkey, while another 42 people died in Syria.
Rescuers carry a person on a stretcher work at the site of a collapsed building, following an earthquake, in Hama, Syria, in this handout released by SANA on February 6, 2023 [SANA/Handout via Reuters] - The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was centred about 33km (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital. It was about 18km (11 miles) deep, and a strong 6.7 aftershock rumbled about 10 minutes later.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the earthquake.
- In northwest Syria, the opposition’s Syrian Civil Defence described the situation in the rebel-held region as “disastrous”, adding that entire buildings had collapsed and people were trapped under the rubble.
10m ago(05:33 GMT)
76 dead, 440 injured in Turkey: Report
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) says initial reports from quake-hit areas in the country’s southeast indicate that at least 76 people have died.
In a statement carried by the state-run Anadolu Agency, AFAD listed the affected regions so far as Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyabakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kilis.
It an additional 440 people were reported injured.
The organisation has also declared a “level 4 alarm” and called for international help.
32m ago(05:11 GMT)42 killed, 200 injured in Syria: Report
Syrian state media say at least 42 people have died in the provinces of Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia.
At least 200 people were also injured, the SANA news agency reported citing the Syrian health ministry.
42m ago(05:01 GMT)Bad weather in Turkey could hamper rescue efforts: Correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, said bad weather across the country could hinder search and rescue efforts in areas affected by Monday’s earthquake.
“The flights from Istanbul and Ankara to eastern Turkey have been cancelled because of wind, rain and snow in Istanbul and heavy snow in Ankara. So we cannot easily access the affected areas,” she said.
“And in eastern Turkey, in Gaziantep, there is heavy snow. And in Kahramanmaras, there is rain. Our colleagues and friends in the area say they are outside, in the cold, and that they are afraid to go inside their buildings.”
She added, “The bad weather conditions will also make work difficult for the rescue workers.”
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53m ago(04:51 GMT)
‘Never felt anything like this’: Turkish resident
A resident of the Turkish city of Gaziantep, near the earthquake’s epicentre, told the Reuters news agency that the tremor rocked buildings in his city “like a baby in a crib”.
“I have never felt anything like it in the 40 years I’ve lived,” said Erdem, who declined to give his surname.
“We were shaken at least three times very strongly, like a baby in a crib.”
It was still too dark to see the nature of the damage, he added.
“Everybody is sitting in their cars, or trying to drive to open spaces away from buildings,” he said, speaking by telephone. “I imagine not a single person in Gaziantep is in their homes now.”
1h ago(04:43 GMT)Death toll in Turkey rises to 53
The death toll in Turkey is rising fast.
Officials said 23 people died in the province of Malatya, 17 in Sanliurfa, seven in Osmaniye, and six in Diyarbakir.
They said the toll could climb much higher because of the heavy damage.
1h ago(04:04 GMT)11 killed in Syria: AP
A doctor in Syria’s Atmeh told The Associated Press news agency that at least 11 people have died in the northwestern town alone.
Dr Muheeb Qaddour added that many others were buried under the rubble.
“We fear that the deaths are in the hundreds,” he told AP.
1h ago(04:04 GMT)Death toll in Turkey rises to 15: Reports
Local officials say 15 people have died in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey, according to the AFP news agency.
Five of the deaths were reported in the province of Osmaniye, the agency said, and 10 more in Sanliurfa, near Turkey’s border with Syria.
1h ago(04:03 GMT)‘Disastrous’ situation reported in northwest Syria
The opposition Syrian Civil Defence is describing the situation in rebel-held northwestern Syria as “disastrous”.
The civil defence, who are also known as the White Helmets, said entire buildings have collapsed and people are trapped under the rubble.
It urged people to evacuate buildings to gather in open areas.
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1h ago(04:02 GMT)
Turkey dispatches search and rescue teams
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says search and rescue teams have been dispatched to areas hit by the earthquake.
“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote on Twitter.
