Over 2300 dead, several buildings damaged after 7.9 magnitude earthquake hits Turkey, Syria

The quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital.

Istanbul, Feb 06: At least 2,300 people were killed in the southern Turkish after a powerful earthquake of 7.9-magnitude hit province of Osmaniye in the early hours of Monday morning. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.

In Turkey, at least 1.121 people have died while Syria has reported at least 810 deaths. The death toll in both nations are expected to go high.

The quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital.

Local media reports put the initial death count at 15, although it is likely to climb much higher because it caught most people while they were still at home asleep.

Video footages shared widely on social media, show buildings were seen shaking as the earthquake jolted Turkey.

Public broadcaster TRT shows images of damaged buildings and people gathering in snowy streets.

One witness told the Reuters news agency that the quake lasted about a minute and shattered windows.

Reportedly, there were at least 6 aftershocks and he urged people not to enter damaged buildings due to the risks.

The earthquake came as the Middle East is experiencing a snowstorm that is expected to continue until Thursday.

Turkey is prone to earthquakes due to its location on various fault lines. The country is situated at the meeting point of the African, Arabian, and Eurasian tectonic plates, which makes it one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Turkey and have caused significant damage and loss of life in the past.

In 1999, two powerful quakes hit northwestern Turkey claiming 18,000 lives. In 2020, more than 100 people were killed in a quake in the western city of Izmir.

What Turkey's president said

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that "search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched" to the areas hit by the quake.

"I convey my wishes to all our citizens affected by the earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş and was felt in many parts of our country. All relevant units are on alert under the coordination of AFAD," he tweeted.

"Our search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the areas affected by the earthquake. Our Ministry of Interior and Health, AFAD, Governorships and all other institutions have started their work rapidly," he added.

"We are also coordinating the works initiated after the earthquake. I hope that we will overcome this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage, and we continue our work," he wrote.