A massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Kahramanmaras Province, central Turkey, at 01:17 GMT on Monday. The quake was recorded roughly 15 miles 24 kilometers underground and was felt in at least six nearby provinces (Hatay, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakir, Malatya and Sanliurfa).
The quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, with the strongest one having a magnitude of 6.6.
Dozens of buildings have collapsed across Turkey, and the death toll continues to go up as rescue workers search for survivors. The massive earthquake also caused multiple buildings to collapse in Syria, leading to multiple deaths.
The quake was also felt in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. It was also felt in Damascus and Latakia in Syria, according to a local newspaper. The Zionists in Tel Aviv also reported feeling the quake. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake was felt in Egypt, Georgia, and Romania.
Turkey is in one of the world's most active earthquake zones. The Turkish region of Duzce suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in 1999 -- the worst to hit Turkey in decades. That quake killed more than 17,000 people, including about 1,000 in Istanbul.
Followings are the latest updates on the quake in Turkey and Syria:
Turkey earthquake death toll jumps to 2,316
Turkish authorities confirmed that 2,316 people have been killed and 13,293 injured after the deadly earthquake hit the country.
Syria earthquakes death toll increases to 1,293
At least 1,293 people have been killed and 3,411 others injured across Syria following Monday’s earthquakes, the government and rescuers said, Al Jazeera reported.
1,411 were injured and 593 were killed in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Tartus, Syria’s health ministry said.
In the country’s northwest, at least 700 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured, according to the rescue group.
Earthquake death toll rises to 1,762 as injured tally hits 12,068
The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey has risen to 1,762, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority says.
At least 12,068 others have been injured in the quakes, the agency said.
Death toll crosses 2,600 in Turkey and Syria; bad weather worsens relief operations
The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has crossed 2,600 persons. The frigid winter weather is worsening the situation of the many thousands of people who have been injured or left homeless, and it is complicating efforts to find survivors, reported Reuters.
At least 6,445 people rescued from collapsed buildings in Turkey
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said 6,445 people have been rescued from collapsed buildings after Monday’s earthquake, Al Jazeera reported.
The agency said at least 5,606 buildings have been destroyed after the quakes hit southeastern Turkey.
Syria earthquake death tolls hits 968
The death toll in Syria following Monday’s earthquake has increased to 968, according to government and rescue groups.
The quake killed at least 538 people and left at least another 1,353 in provinces of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, the health ministry said.
In the northwest of the country, at least 430 people were killed and more than 1,050 were injured, the rescue group said, warning the toll could increase.
Erdogan declares week-long mourning for quake victims
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will observe seven days of national mourning for the victims of Monday’s earthquake.
“A national mourning period has been declared for seven days. Our flag will be hoisted at half-mast until sunset on Sunday, February 12, 2023, in all our national and foreign representative offices,” Erdogan said in a tweet.
Turkey earthquake death toll rises to 1,651
Turkey’s health ministry says the death toll from Monday’s earthquake has risen to 1,651.
At least 11,119 others were injured the quake, the ministry added.
At least 1,541 people killed in Turkey: Vice president
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay says the earthquake death toll has risen to at least 1,541 in his country.
The quake has injured 9,733 people and destroyed 3,471 buildings, he said.
10 cities affected by earthquake in Turkey
Al Jazeera reported that at least 10 cities in the southeastern part of Turkey have been affected by the earthquake.
“We are talking about a vast geography. We are talking about at least 10 million people who live in these cities. This is a tough task for the Turkish authorities and local rescue workers to deal with,” Koseoglu said.
“We are hearing that rescue workers have not even been able to reach some of the places,” she added.
Turkey's death toll hits 1,121 after powerful earthquake
The death toll has risen to 1,121 in Turkey following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday, according to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD).
A total of 1,121 people have died, 7,634 were injured and 2,834 buildings were damaged in Turkey, said Orhan Tatar, AFAD's general director.
The total death toll in Syria stands at more than 800.
Death toll rises to 403 in Syria, 1,300 more injured: Health Ministry
The death toll from the earthquake in Syria has increased to 406 people, and almost 1,300 people were injured, a senior representative of the Syrian Health Minister said on Monday.
"The death toll from the earthquake has increased to 403 people, another 1,284 were injured," the official said, as quoted by the local news agency.
The ministry previously said that 371 people were killed and 1,089 were injured.
Death toll in Turkey rises to 1,014: Authorities
The death toll from a major earthquake in southeastern Turkey has risen to 1,014, Yunus Sezer, head of the Emergency Management Agency, said.
"We have received data on the destruction of 2,824 buildings. There are 1,014 of our citizens dead," he said.
Turkey-Syria death toll rises above 1,500
At least 1,504 people have been killed in Turkey and Syria, and thousands more injured, after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Turkey early Monday.
In Syria, a total of at least 592 people have died, including 371 mostly in the regions of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA, which also reported 1,089 injuries.
In Turkey, at least 912 people have died and 5,385 people were injured, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a televised address Monday.
Rescuers are working through the rubble of collapsed buildings to locate survivors, while NATO, the EU and 45 countries have offered assistance following the disaster.
Reports indicate that many football players of the Turkish Kahramanmaraşsporare football club are trapped under the debris at their staying hotel. 14 other female volleyball players and 30-40 wrestlers of the national wrestling team are also trapped under debris.
Death toll in Syria rises to at least 560
The death toll across Syria has risen to at least 560 people, according to the government and rescue workers.
The official news agency SANA, citing the health ministry, said at least 339 people were killed and 1,089 injured in government-controlled areas of the war-torn country. The rescue group said at least 221 were killed and 419 injured in northwestern Syria.
Residents of Beirut feel tremors of new earthquake
Many residents of Beirut took to the streets as they felt another wave of tremors in the Lebanese capital, Sputnik reported as quoted by eyewitnesses on Monday.
"Another series of aftershocks was just felt in Beirut. [They were] weaker than at night, but many people took to the streets, fearing possible consequences," an eyewitness said.
Second 7.7-Magnitude earthquake hits central Turkey
A new earthquake of 7.7-magnitude was recorded in central part of Turkey, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said on Monday, Sputnik reported.
The earthquake was recorded at 10:24 GMT, 59 kilometers northeast of the city of Kahramanmaras, at a depth of about 10 kilometers, the EMSC said.
According to a Sputnik correspondent, tremors from the earthquake were felt again in Ankara and its outskirts.
Death toll from powerful earthquake surpasses 1,200 across Turkey, Syria
More than 1,200 people have died in Turkey and Syria after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey early Monday, injuring thousands more across both countries.
Health Ministry says 326 killed, 1,042 injured in Syria
The death toll as a result of the earthquake increased to 326, and another 1,042 people were injured, a senior Health Ministry official told Sputnik on Monday.
Earlier reports indicated that 248 people were killed and 700 were injured.
"According to new data, 326 people became victims of the earthquake, and another 1,042 were injured," the official said.
The official added that rescue operations continue and this is not the final information about the victims.
Erdogan says death toll in Turkey risen to 912
Turkish President Erdogan has said the death toll in the country has risen to 912.
He said 5,383 people have been wounded in the country, adding he could not predict how high the casualty numbers would rise.
Iran's Raeisi condoles Turkey, Syria over deadly earthquake
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi issued separate messages of condolences to his Turkish and Syrian counterparts over Monday's deadly earthquake.
Offering sympathy to the Syrian and Turkish nations over the incident, President Raeisi announced Iran's readiness to provide urgent relief aid to the quake-hit countries.
Death toll from earthquake surpasses 650
At least 670 people have been reported dead in Turkey and Syria after Monday's huge 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
In Syria, at least 386 people have died, including 239 mostly in the regions of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, Syrian state TV reported.
According to some reports, at least 147 deaths were registered in northwestern Syria.
Hundreds more people were also injured following the earthquake, with 648 wounded in Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, Syrian state TV reported.
In Turkey, at least 284 people have died and more than 2,323 people have been injured, Turkey's Vice President Fuat Oktay said earlier.
Death toll in Syria rises to 248: Health ministry
The death toll as a result of the earthquake increased to 248 in Syria, while 700 people were injured, a senior Health Ministry official told Sputnik on Monday.
"According to new data, 248 people became victims of the earthquake, and 700 were injured," the official said.
More than 1,700 buildings collapse in Turkey
Hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped under rubble. Nearly 900 buildings were destroyed in Turkey’s Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces, said Vice President Fuat Otkay.
He placed the total number of collapsed buildings at 1,718.
USGS estimates fatalities from Turkey quake could be as high as 10,000
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that hit southern Turkey early Monday could reach as high as 10,000 people, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, CNN reported.
According to its estimates, USGS said there is a 47% chance of it reaching between 1,000 to 10,000 people, whereas there is a 27% chance of it reaching between 100 and 1,000 and a 20% chance of it reaching between 10,000 and 100,000.
The USGS estimates come from modeling based on historical earthquakes in the region, the population exposed to the heaviest shaking, and the vulnerability of the structures in the hardest-hit zones.
"High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," the USGS said in the report.
"The population in this region resides in structures that are extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist."
The report also estimates economic losses will likely be between $1 billion to $10 billion, which could reach up to 2% of Turkey’s GDP.
So far, more than 500 people have been confirmed dead and more than 3,000 others injured in Turkey and Syria, according to officials and state media.
Death toll from powerful Turkey quake rises to more than 500
More than 500 people have been killed in two countries after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Turkey early Monday.
At least 284 people have died and more than 2,300 were injured in Turkey, according to the country's Vice President Fuat Oktay.
In Syria, at least 237 people were killed and 639 injured, Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported, citing a Health Ministry official.
The total death toll across Turkey and Syria is now at least 521.
18 aftershocks recorded after powerful Turkey quake
A least 18 aftershocks with a magnitude over 4 have been recorded after a powerful earthquake struck southern Turkey early Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), CNN reported.
USGS said it recorded seven quakes with a magnitude above 5.
The strongest aftershock so far was recorded only 11 minutes after the first quake and had a magnitude of 6.7, USGS said.
Experts say strong aftershocks are likely to continue in the hours and even days to come after an earthquake as strong as the one Turkey experienced Monday morning.
Airport runway in Turkey's Hatay severely damaged
Hatay Airport in south-eastern Turkey suspended operations because of damage to the runway.
Russia’s Hmeymim airbase unaffected by Syria earthquake: top brass
The earthquake that rocked northwestern Syria had no impact on Russia’s Hmeymim airbase and other military facilities in the Arab country, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday, TASS reported.
"The earthquake that occurred in the northwestern portion of Syria on February 6 had no impact on the combat readiness of Russia’s Hmeymim airbase and other military facilities of the Russian group of forces stationed in the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said in a statement.
The on-duty forces continue their operations in standard mode, the ministry added.
"The personnel are fulfilling their assigned objectives. There is no damage or destruction caused to Russian military facilities," the ministry stressed.
At least 284 killed, 2,383 injured in Turkey: Vice President
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in Turkey has risen to 284, while 2,383 people have been injured, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Monday.
Earlier reports indicated that 76 people were killed and 440 were injured.
"The earthquake killed 284 citizens, and injured 2,323," Oktay said at a briefing.
Earthquake causes much destruction to Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province: Authorities
The damage caused by a devastating earthquake to the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras is very serious, the number of casualties is now specified, the province’s governor Omer Faruk Coskun said.
Meanwhile, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said that 70 people were killed and 200 others were injured as well as 300 buildings were damaged in Kahramanmaras Province.
Rescuers in search for survivors as dozens remain under rubble
Rescue teams are carrying out a frantic search for survivors trapped under tangles of metal and chunks of concrete in cities and towns across Turkey and Syria.
Italy withdraws tsunami warning after Turkey, Syria earthquake
Italian authorities have withdrawn a tsunami warning for the country’s southern coast that was raised after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake, Al Jazeera reported.
Italy’s Civil Protection Department issued a statement recommending people move away from coastal areas. Train traffic in the southern regions of Sicily, Calabria and Apulia had been temporarily halted as a precaution but resumed in the morning, the agency said in the statement.
UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic fortress in Gaziantep collapses
Gaziantep Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Turkey, has been heavily damaged after a powerful earthquake and aftershocks rocked the country's south on Monday morning.
"Some of the bastions in the east, south and southeast parts of the historical Gaziantep Castle in the central Şahinbey district were destroyed by the earthquake, the debris was scattered on the road," Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported.
"The iron railings around the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks. The retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. In some bastions, large cracks were observed."
The dome and eastern wall of the historical Şirvani Mosque, which is located next to the castle and is said to have been built in the 17th century, also partially collapsed, it added.
According to archaeological excavations, the castle was first built as a watchtower in the Roman period in II-IV centuries A.D and expanded over time.
It took its current form in between 527-565 A.D. during the period of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, according to Turkish Museums, the official site of museums and archaeological sites in the country.
Death toll rises to 237 in Syria: health ministry
The death toll from a powerful earthquake has risen to 237 in Syria, while 639 people have been injured, the Syrian Health Ministry said on Monday, Sputnik reported.
"In the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus, 237 people were killed, 639 were injured," the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier reports indicated that 111 people died as a result of the Monday earthquake, while more than 500 others were injured.
Explosion hit gas Pipeline in Hatay
According to reports, an explosion hit a gas pipeline in the Province Of Hatay in Southeastern Turkey and fire broke out following the explosion.
Earthquake tremors felt in Baghdad
Tremors from Monday's 7.4-magnitude earthquake in south-eastern Turkey were felt in the Iraqi capital.
Oil pipelines in Turkey not Damaged by quake
The deadly earthquake that hit Turkey on Monday morning has not caused any damage to the country's oil pipelines, state-owned Turkish petroleum pipeline company Botas said, according to Sputnik.
"After inspections, no damage to oil pipelines with crude oil was revealed," the company said in a statement.
It was decided to suspend gas supplies to a number of areas near the epicenter of the earthquake as a precautionary measure, the company added.
Death toll from earthquake in Syria rises to 111
According to the Syrian Health Ministry, at least 111 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured following the earthquake that hit the Arab country.
Total current death toll stands at 76 in Turkey; 440 injured: Authorities
A total of 76 earthquake-related deaths have been reported across seven provinces in Turkey, while another 440 people were injured, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) says.
"As of 6:30 a.m. [03:30 GMT on Monday], 76 people have died and 440 people were injured in seven provinces as a result of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake," AFAD said in a Monday statement.
Death toll in Syria rises to 99, over 330 injured
At least 99 people have died in Syria as a result of the Monday earthquake, while another 334 were injured, a senior health official told Sputnik.
"According to updated information, 99 people have died, including 50 in Latakia. Across all the provinces, 334 people were injured," Ahmad Damiriyeh said.
The Syrian state news agency reported on Monday that 42 people had died in Syria as a result of the earthquake that occurred in neighboring Turkey, while another 200 people were injured.
Syrian media reported on Monday that strong tremors were felt by residents of Damascus and Latakia and that numerous buildings collapsed in Aleppo. Several residential buildings collapsed in the suburbs of Latakia, an informed source told Sputnik.
At least 18 dead in Turkey’s Sanliurfa: Governor
The death toll from the Monday earthquake has gone up to 18 in Turkey’s Sanliurfa, the region’s Governor Salih Aydin said.
"Eighteen people were killed and 67 citizens were injured," Salih Aydin announced later on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, the governor said that the death toll stood at 15.
Dozen dead in Turkey’s Sanliurfa
At least twelve people have died in Turkey’s Sanliurfa as a result of the powerful earthquake that hit Turkey on Monday morning, media reports citing the governor of Sanliurfa.
Earlier on Monday, Osmaniye Province Governor Erdinc Yilmaz told Turkish Radio that at least five people have died in Osmaniye as a result of the earthquake and 34 buildings collapsed.
7 killed in Turkey's Osmaniye province
Seven people have been killed as a result of the earthquake. The Governor of Turkey's Osmaniye province said that at least 34 buildings collapsed in the area. The center of Osmaniye is about 62.5 miles (100 kilometers) away from Gaziantep and roughly 43 miles (69 kilometers) from the quake's epicenter.
At least 42 dead in Syria after earthquake
"Forty-two deaths and 200 injuries have been reported in Aleppo, Hama and Latakia as a result of the earthquake in a preliminary toll," state news agency SANA said quoting a health ministry official.
Several buildings collapsed in Syria after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that had its epicentre in southeastern Turkey,
23 dead, 400 injured in Turkey's Malatya region
The death toll from the Monday earthquake in Turkey’s Malatya has gone up to 23 and over 400 people were injured, while in Diyarbakir six deaths have been reported, according to local authorities, Sputnik reported.
"So far, 23 people have died, 420 people have been injured, and 140 buildings have collapsed as a result of the earthquake in the city," Hulusi Sahin said later on Monday, as quoted by the state-run broadcaster.
Diyarbakir Governor Ali Ihsan Su told a Turkish broadcaster that seven buildings collapsed in Diyarbakir as a result of the earthquake.
"Six citizens died, and 79 citizens were injured. 12 citizens were rescued from the rubble," the governor said.
Turkey dispatches search and rescue teams
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken to Twitter to extend his "best wishes" to the citizens that were affected by the earthquake, adding that rescue teams were "immediately dispatched" to the areas damaged by the earthquake.
Syrian Civil Defense Ministry declares state of emergency
According to the Syrian Civil Defense Ministry, which has likewise declared a state of emergency, several residential buildings have collapsed in Syria's northwest.
MNA/PR