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Turkey earthquake: Rescuers race to find survivors as night falls and death toll passes 3,500

Rescuers were on Monday night racing to find survivors still trapped among the rubble after a huge earthquake killed more than 3,500 people across southern Turkey and Syria.

The magnitude 7.8 quake brought down whole apartment blocks in Turkish cities and piled more devastation on millions of Syrians displaced by years of war.

The worst tremor to strike the region this century came before sunrise in harsh weather and was followed in the early afternoon by another large quake of magnitude 7.7.

It is feared hundreds, possibly thousands, more could be alive and trapped as night fell.

More than 2,300 people were killed in Turkey, and nearly 1,300 people died in Syria.

Freezing winter weather will only add to the plight of the many left injured or homeless and hampering efforts to find survivors.

The World Health Organization warned that the death toll could end up surpassing 20,000.

Follow the latest below.


06:35 PM

That is it from us for today

Thank you for reading our liveblog, we will be closing it here for the day but will first leave you with the latest:

  • A huge earthquake killed more than 2,600 people across a swathe of Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday, with freezing winter weather adding to the plight of the many thousands left injured or homeless and hampering efforts to find survivors

  • The worst tremor to strike Turkey this century, it came before sunrise in harsh weather and was followed in the early afternoon by another large quake of magnitude 7.7

  • President Erdogan of Turkey announces seven days of national mourning

  • Erdogan said 45 countries had offered to help the search and rescue efforts in Turkey, may began arriving on Monday afternoon


06:05 PM

Turkey's Erdogan declares seven days of mourning for quake victims

President Tayyip Erdogan, who is preparing for a tough election in May, called it a historic disaster and the worst earthquake to hit Turkey since 1939, but said authorities were doing all they could.

"Everyone is putting their heart and soul into efforts although the winter season, cold weather and the earthquake happening during the night makes things more difficult," he said.

"On February 6, 2023, a seven-day national mourning was declared in connection with the earthquakes that occurred in our country," the president's account tweeted. "Our flag will be lowered to half-mast until sunset on Sunday, February 12, 2023, in all of our country and foreign representations."

Erdogan speaks at the coordination center of Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) in Ankara, Turkey - Reuters
Erdogan speaks at the coordination center of Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) in Ankara, Turkey - Reuters

05:25 PM

Screams fill the streets as Turkey’s earthquake buries families in their sleep

Be sure to read the latest dispatch from Campbell McDiarmid:

Rain poured down the windshield as Baris Yapar waited in his mother’s car for emergency services to arrive at his grandparent’s destroyed building in the coastal town of Samandag in southern Turkey on Monday.

“They’re still underneath the rubble,” the 28-year-old master’s student told The Telegraph from the seaside town 150 miles southwest of the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that has devastated southern Turkey and northern Syria.

Scores of buildings had collapsed and on Monday morning the streets had been filled with “screams and crying” said Mr Yapar, speaking via telephone from the town near the Syrian border.

Mr Yapar said he was visiting his parents in the quiet town when the earthquake struck, a shock far more powerful and prolonged than any he had previously experienced.

“I was in my room, sleeping and woke up to the tremors as my dad rushed in my room to also wake me up,” he told The Telegraph.

The family struggled to make it to the door as the building was shaking so violently. Mr Yapar and his parents then rushed to check on his grandparents but when they arrived on the scene found their home was reduced to rubble.

“When we got there all the buildings had already collapsed,” he said.


05:25 PM

Watch: Reporter abandons live broadcast to evacuate little girl


05:15 PM

All Turkish matches called off after earthquake

All Turkish club football games have been postponed in the wake of the earthquake, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) tweeted.

The 7.8-magnitude early-morning quake, whose epicentre was near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, was followed by dozens of aftershocks and wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a region filled with millions who have fled Syria's civil war and other conflicts.

"We wish God's mercy to our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake that has plunged our country into mourning, our condolences to their families, relatives and our nation, and a speedy recovery to our wounded," said the TFF tweet.

Three league games had been scheduled for Monday, including second-place Fenerbahce at home to Konyaspor.

The next matches are set for Friday.


05:06 PM

Cleverly: No reports of British fatalities

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said there were no reports of British fatalities in the earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, but acknowledged the relief effort was still at an early stage.

He told reporters at the Foreign Office: "With an earthquake of this magnitude we sadly have already seen many thousands of people die.

"We don't know the full extent of the injuries or fatalities and sadly they are likely to grow over the coming days.

"At this stage we aren't aware of any British fatalities but of course it's far too early for us to say that won't be the case."


05:05 PM

Death toll rises to more than 2,400

At least 968 people were killed in Syria, the country's state media and rescuers said.

The death toll is estimated at more than 1,500 in Turkey.

Rescuers are hunting for untold numbers trapped in the rubble.


05:03 PM

Global aid effort underway

Countries have rushed to dispatch aid, personnel and equipment to help rescue efforts in quake-stricken areas of Turkey and Syria. Here's a glance at what's being provided so far:

  • The European Union has mobilised search and rescue teams to help Turkey, while the 27-nation bloc's Copernicus satellite system has been activated to provide emergency mapping services. The EU said it is also ready to offer help to Syria through its humanitarian assistance programmes.

  • Britain is sending 76 search-and-rescue specialists with equipment and dogs, as well as an emergency medical team, to Turkey. The UK also says it's in contact with the UN about getting support to victims in Syria.

  • America is coordinating teams to support search and rescue efforts in Turkey. US-supported humanitarian partners are also responding to the destruction in Syria.

  • Russian rescue teams are preparing to fly to Syria, while Russian military already deployed in the country have are helping to clear debris and search for survivors. Russia also has offered help to Turkey, which has been accepted.

  • Israel is dispatching teams to Turkey. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also approved a request for humanitarian aid for Syria. Israel and Syria do not have diplomatic relations.

  • Neighbour and historic regional rival Greece is sending Turkey a team of 21 rescuers, two rescue dogs and a special rescue vehicle, together with a structural engineer, five doctors and seismic planning experts in a military transport plane.

  • Lebanon's cash-strapped government is sending soldiers, Red Cross and Civil Defence first responders, and firefighters to Turkey to help with its rescue efforts.

  • Swiss rescue dog service REDOG is sending 22 rescuers with 14 dogs to Turkey.

  • Germany, Jordan, the Czech Republic, Japan, Austria, Egypt, Spain, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Italy and France are all sending aid, firefighters, or rescue teams to the region.


04:41 PM

Large fire, plume of smoke at Turkey's Iskenderun port

A large fire burned and a plume of black smoke drifted high into the air on Monday above Turkey's southern Iskenderun port, in the Mediterranean Sea-side province of Hatay, according to Reuters witnesses and footage.

The region was hit by two major earthquakes earlier in the day, leaving widespread damage and loss of life. It was not immediately clear what was burning.

Fire broke out in the containers that fell in the earthquake in Hatay's Iskenderun Port - Murat Sengul/Anadolu Agency
Fire broke out in the containers that fell in the earthquake in Hatay's Iskenderun Port - Murat Sengul/Anadolu Agency

04:40 PM

Worse than 'years of war': Syria hospital treats quake survivors

At a hospital in Syria, Osama Abdel Hamid was holding back tears as he recalled how the powerful earthquake toppled his home and killed his neighbours, along with hundreds of his compatriots.

"We were fast asleep when we felt a huge earthquake," Abdel Hamid told AFP at Al-Rahma hospital in the northwestern Idlib province, where he was being treated for a head injury.

When the quake shook the Abdel Hamid family's home in the village of Azmarin, near Syria's border with Turkey, "I woke up my wife and children and we ran towards the exit door," the man said.

"We opened the door, and suddenly the entire building collapsed."

Within moments, Abdel Hamid found himself under the rubble of the four-storey building.

All of his neighbours died, but the family made it out alive.

A member of the White Helmets carries a child rescued from the rubble in the town of Zardana in the countryside of the northwestern Syrian Idlib province - ABDULAZIZ KETAZ/AFP
A member of the White Helmets carries a child rescued from the rubble in the town of Zardana in the countryside of the northwestern Syrian Idlib province - ABDULAZIZ KETAZ/AFP

"The walls collapsed over us, but my son was able to get out," Abdel Hamid said. "He started screaming and people gathered around, knowing there were survivors, and they pulled us out from under the rubble."

They were taken to the hospital in Darkush, a town several miles to the south along the Turkish border, located in the last main rebel-held bastion of Idlib.

The facility soon had to take in patients far beyond its capacity and received at least 30 dead bodies.

An AFP photographer saw multiple ambulances arriving at Al-Rahma one after the other, carrying casualties including many children.


04:35 PM

'No one is coming': Trapped victims call for help on Twitter

Here is the latest from our reporter in Turkey, Beril Eski:

Many of those trapped underneath the stacks of rubble have been reaching out for help through Twitter and other social media.

Though it is very difficult to verify social media posts, many users are circulating cries for help on social media, with the hope of helping victims.

A user in Hatay tweeted that she has passed out and woke up in a collapsed building, her family is not responding and she is dying. She has posted her full address in the following tweets, which were shared by thousands.

Another in Adiyaman called for help from under the rubble. He, later on, tweeted that he managed to get out of the collapsed building with his family, but no rescue teams have arrived yet to help his neighbours who are still trapped in the debris.

Many posts of missing loved ones were shared by friends and family members on social media, providing their full names and addresses, to alert the authorities.


04:26 PM

Biden says he has 'authorised immediate US response'

The White House has released a statement by US president Joe Biden, saying "our hearts are with all those who have lost loved ones" and pledging support for rescue efforts and humanitarian assistance.

Mr Biden said:

"Jill and I were deeply saddened by the news of the devastating earthquakes that have thus far claimed thousands of lives in Turkiye and Syria. My Administration has been working closely with our NATO Ally Turkiye, and I authorised an immediate US response. At my direction, senior American officials reached out immediately to their Turkish counterparts to coordinate any and all needed assistance. Our teams are deploying quickly to begin to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced by the earthquake. US-supported humanitarian partners are also responding to the destruction in Syria. Today, our hearts and our deepest condolences are with all those who have lost precious loved ones, those who are injured, and those who saw their homes and businesses destroyed."


04:08 PM

Explainer: What to know about the big quake that hit Turkey and Syria

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Monday devastated wide swaths of Turkey and Syria, killing thousands of people.

Here's what to know about the quake.

What happened?

The quake hit at depth of 11 miles and was centered in southern Turkey, near the northern border of Syria, according to the US Geological Survey.

Many aftershocks have rocked the area since the initial quake. In the first 11 hours, the region had felt 13 significant aftershocks with a magnitude of at least 5, said Alex Hatem, a USGS research geologist.

Scientists are studying whether a magnitude 7.5 quake that hit nine hours after the main shock is an aftershock. Hatem said it appears to be the case.

"More aftershocks are certainly expected, given the size of the main shock," Hatem said. "We expect aftershocks to continue in the coming days, weeks and months."

What type of earthquake was it?

Researchers said the earthquake was a strike-slip quake, where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally, instead of moving up and down.

In this case, one block moved west while the other moved east - grinding past each other to create the quake, Hatem said.

The quake occurred in a seismically active area known as the East Anatolian fault zone, which has produced damaging earthquakes in the past.

Turkey had another major earthquake in January 2020 - a magnitude 6.7 that caused significant damage.

Why was it so devastating?

The earthquake was powerful - one of the biggest strike-slip earthquakes that has hit on land, Hatem said.

"On top of that, it's located near populated areas," she said.

Building collapses were reported in cities including Diyarbakir, Turkey, and Aleppo, Syria.

Rescue efforts were also hampered by freezing temperatures and traffic jams from residents trying to leave quake-stricken areas.


03:31 PM

'Every third house has gone,' survivors tell Telegraph

Meryem Sut, a 32-year-old woman from the town of Samandag, described to the Telegraph the sheer scale of devastation and said she was angry with the government for failing to provide a timely response.

“The state is not here. Including the (emergency services agency) AFAD. No one is here,” she told The Telegraph's Beril Eski in Turkey.

“Every third house in Samandag has collapsed. Nothing is organised here. No one is distributing food. We do everything on our own.”

Ms Sut described going to the local hospital to see her brother who had a car accident after the first earthquake:

“Health workers are treating only patients with life-threatening injuries, and the services are very limited.”

The ruins of a building in Samandag, Turkey, - The Telegraph
The ruins of a building in Samandag, Turkey, - The Telegraph

Outside, residents of a southern Turkish town are having to navigate an extremely rare cold spell that people are poorly equipped to deal with even in normal circumstances.

“The weather is very cold and it’s pouring here all the time. The roads are blocked, the traffic is jammed, there are cracks in the roads. People are very scared to go back to their houses. We plan to spend the night at a greenhouse in the countryside,” she said.


03:27 PM

Experts warn earthquake aftershocks 'can last up to a year'

Turkey's top earthquake scientist has described Monday's earthquake as the biggest in over two decades, our correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva in Istanbul reports.

Turkey's top earthquake scientist has described Monday's earthquake as the biggest in over two decades.

"We are facing the biggest earthquake in 24 years in this part of the world," Dr Haluk Ozener, director of the earthquake research centre at Istanbul's Bogazici University, said in a statement on Monday.

"It was felt across our borders in Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Iraq and Syria and led to loss of life in some places. So far, 100 aftershocks have occurred."

He said he expected the aftershocks to continue in the coming days with a decreased intensity but warned that "these earthquakes can last up to a year."

"We are facing the biggest earthquake in 24 years in this part of the world," Dr Haluk Ozener, director of the earthquake research centre at Istanbul's Bogazici University, said in a statement on Monday.

"It was felt across our borders in Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Iraq and Syria and led to loss of life in some places. So far, 100 aftershocks have occurred."

He said he expected the aftershocks to continue in the coming days with a decreased intensity but warned that "these earthquakes can last up to a year."

An aerial view of a damaged building after in Adana, Turkey - Anadolu
An aerial view of a damaged building after in Adana, Turkey - Anadolu

03:11 PM

Gaziantep castle partially destroyed

Footage of Gaziantep Castle, considered one of the best-preserved citadels in Turkey, showed parts of its stone walls had cascaded down the side of the fort.

Syria and Turkey are considered cradles of human civilisation and home to some of the world’s most precious relics of antiquity, boasting several Unesco world heritage sites, including the ancient city of Aleppo, already ravaged by the Syrian civil war.

A view of damaged historical Gaziantep Castle after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit southern provinces of - Getty
A view of damaged historical Gaziantep Castle after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit southern provinces of - Getty

03:06 PM

Russian rescuers to fly to Syrian-government held areas affected

President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan to express his condolences over the death and destruction wrought by the magnitude 7.8 quake, the worst to strike Turkey this century.

Putin offered to send Russian rescue teams to both Turkey and regime areas of Syria.

"Bashar al-Assad gratefully accepted this offer, and in the coming hours rescuers of the Russian emergencies ministry will fly to Syria," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Russia backed Assad in Syria's civil war, launching a military campaign that helped turn the tide of the conflict in his favour even though the West had called for the Syrian leader to go.

Russia has a naval base in Tartus, on the Syrian coast, and operates the Khmeimim air base north of Tartus.

A man carries the body of an earthquake victim in the Besnia village near the Turkish border, Idlib province, Syria - AP
A man carries the body of an earthquake victim in the Besnia village near the Turkish border, Idlib province, Syria - AP
Rescuers try to free a young boy from the rubble of a collapsed building following an earthquake, in the Syrian border town of Azaz in the rebel-held north of the Aleppo province - AFP
Rescuers try to free a young boy from the rubble of a collapsed building following an earthquake, in the Syrian border town of Azaz in the rebel-held north of the Aleppo province - AFP

02:49 PM

Turkey 'rejects' Elon Musk's Starlink internet offer

Turkey has rejected Elon Musk's offer to activate Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, in the country after it was hit by a deadly earthquake, Bloomberg reported Monday.

"Starlink is not approved by Turkish government yet," Musk tweeted late Sunday. "SpaceX can send as soon as approved."

Musk was responding to a Twitter user who said there were "severe communication shortages" in Turkey after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the south-east of the country near the Syrian border, killing hundreds of people.

Bloomberg reported an anonymous senior Turkish official as saying they were thankful for Musk's offer but Turkey had enough satellite capacity, and its base stations were working with battery power.

Ömer Fatih Sayan, Turkey's minister of transport and infrastructure, tweeted on Monday it was important that communication infrastructure wasn't disrupted in the areas hit by the earthquake.


02:34 PM

Livestream of rescue


Below is a livestream of the rescue of people caught in the rubble and pleading for rescue


02:11 PM

Turkish transport ministry catches moment of earthquake

The Turkish Transportation Minister, Adil Karaismailoğlu, was being recorded when his office hit by one of Turkey earthquakes.

It is thought they had gathered for a meeting after the first one hit and the team was rocked by the powerful second one.


02:06 PM

White Helmets have vast experience in rescuing people from collapsed buildings

The White Helmets, a volunteer rescue group which set up in Syrian rebel-held areas during the country's civil war, are stepping up once again.

They are the most organised group of firefighters-come-medics in northwestern Syria and are used to dealing with the aftermath of Syrian government bombings.

Today they described the last pocked of opposition-controlled Syria as being “in a state of catastrophe” with “destruction, devastation, and collapse of buildings."

The group said the quake left “120+ civilians… dead, 230+ injured” in Idlib province and the countryside of Aleppo province, adding the death toll was expected to rise as “hundreds of families are still trapped under rubble.”

Northwest Syria is already home to the world’s biggest and most acute humanitarian crises - home to some 4.5 million effectively besieged.

White Helmets rescuers search for survivors under the rubble, following an earthquake, in Al Atareb, Syria - White Helmets
White Helmets rescuers search for survivors under the rubble, following an earthquake, in Al Atareb, Syria - White Helmets

01:20 PM

Security camera footage shows moment of quake in Kahramanmaras


01:15 PM

How the Turkey earthquake compares to others


01:14 PM

British search and rescue teams deployed to quake zone

The UK has said it will send search and rescue teams and a specialised medical team to Turkey to assist with the response to the earthquake, which has killed at least 1,500 people.

“We stand ready to provide further support as needed,” James Cleverly, the foreign minister, said in a statement.


01:09 PM

Video: trapped Turks film video pleas for help


12:53 PM

Pope 'deeply saddened' by earthquake

The Pope has said that he is "deeply saddened" by the earthquake in a statement this afternoon.

It came as the death toll in Syria rose to more than 700 while there at least a thousand dead in southern Turkey.


12:22 PM

10 EU search and rescue teams mobilised

The European Union says that 10 search and rescue teams have been mobilised to assist Syria and Turkey.

"Urban Search and Rescue teams have been quickly mobilised from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Greece, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania to support the first responders on the ground," the European Commission said in a statement on Monday afternoon.

Residents carry an injured child from the rubble of a collapsed building following an earthquake in the town of Jandaris, in the countryside of Syria's northwestern city of Afrin - AFP
Residents carry an injured child from the rubble of a collapsed building following an earthquake in the town of Jandaris, in the countryside of Syria's northwestern city of Afrin - AFP

12:03 PM

Iraqi Kurdistan halts oil to Turkish port due to quake

Reuters reports that Iraq's Kurdish region has temporarily halted the flow of its oil through the Turkish port of Ceyhan port after a major earthquake hit Turkey and Syria.

Oil exports will resume after careful "inspection of the pipelines is finalised", a statement from the ministry said.


11:59 AM

Turkish parliament suspended for one week

Turkey's parliament on Monday suspended its work for a week due to the earthquake.

Mustafa Elitas, deputy chairman of the ruling AK party, said the National Assembly will not convene today and will remain suspended for at least a week while the country is dealing with the earthquake that affected ten provinces.

A new, second earthquake was reported in the same Kahranmaras province on Monday afternoon.

Mehmet Emin Ataoglu rescued under the rubble of 6-storey-building after 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Iskenderun district of Hatay - Anadolu
Mehmet Emin Ataoglu rescued under the rubble of 6-storey-building after 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Iskenderun district of Hatay - Anadolu

11:58 AM

Images from Hatay show appalling scale of destruction to homes

İsmail Arı, a Turkish journalist, has posted on Twitter a series of photographs from the Anadolu news agency that show the huge amounts of damage in Hatay province, southern Turkey.


11:39 AM

Earthquake 'felt in Greenland'

The Danish Geological Institute has just said that the earthquake was so powerful that it was felt in parts of Greenland - more than three thousand miles away.

Meanwhile India has announced that it will be sending aid, one of around 45 countries to do so thus far.

A man carries a girl following an earthquake, in rebel-held town of Jandaris, Syria
A man carries a girl following an earthquake, in rebel-held town of Jandaris, Syria

11:34 AM

Mapped: the location of both earthquakes


11:30 AM

A 'crisis in multiple crises'

Tanya Evans, the Syria director of the International Rescue Committee, says Syrians are already extremely vulnerable and that Monday's earthquakes will simply pile yet more horror onto them.

This earthquake is yet another devastating blow to so many vulnerable populations already struggling after years of conflict. It is a crisis within multiple crises - temperatures are plummeting to below zero leaving thousands exposed. Women and children will find themselves particularly at risk of exploitation and abuse should they find themselves once again displaced.


11:21 AM

Erdogan: Possibly worst disaster we've faced in a century

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's president, said on Monday the earthquake in the country's south-east is likely to be worse than anything Turkey has faced in almost a century.

"Tonight, at 04.17 a.m. we were shaken by the biggest disaster since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake," he said at the main response centre in Ankara.

"I wish God's mercy on our citizens who lost their lives in this great tragedy and a speedy recovery to our wounded."
Over 9,000 people are involved in rescue work, searching for survivors underneath the rubble in ten of Turkey's provinces, Mr Erdogan said.

Rescue workers and volunteers pull out a survivor from the rubble in Diyarbakir - AFP
Rescue workers and volunteers pull out a survivor from the rubble in Diyarbakir - AFP

11:13 AM

Reports of third quake

There are now unconfirmed reports of a smaller, third earthquake hitting Turkey. No further details have emerged yet.


11:06 AM

Death toll nears 1,500

At least 900 people have been killed in Turkey and a further 560 in Syria according to the latest estimates.


10:57 AM

Ukraine says ready to send rescue workers

Ukraine has said it stands ready to assist Turkey after two deadly earthquakes, despite being locked in a battle for survival against Russian invaders.

"Ukraine stands ready to send a large group of rescue workers to Turkey to assist crisis response. We are working closely with the Turkish side to coordinate their deployment," said the Ukrainian foreign minister.


10:51 AM

Second 7.7 magnitude quake hits Turkey

The US Geographical Survey has confirmed that a second earthquake, of at least 7.5 magnitude, hit the Turkey region earlier.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded a higher magnitude of 7.7.

Rescuers carry out a girl from a collapsed building following an earthquake in Diyarbakir, Turkey - Reuters
Rescuers carry out a girl from a collapsed building following an earthquake in Diyarbakir, Turkey - Reuters

10:39 AM

Reports of significant new tremor in Turkey region

There has reportedly been a major tremor in the same region moments ago. It is unclear if it was a second earthquake or an aftershock.


10:23 AM

Death toll could be in tens of thousands - monitor

Risklayer, a German independent research group on natural disasters, say its modelling suggests the death toll could be in the tens of thousands.

Its researchers estimate that between 4,400 to 39,000 people may have died, and based on the current situation the toll was likely to be around 16,800.


10:18 AM

Norwegian Refugee Council: Quake will worsen humanitarian crisis

Carsten Hansen, the Middle East regional director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has said the quake "happened at the worst time of night at the worst time of the year."

This is a disaster that will worsen the suffering of Syrians already struggling with a severe humanitarian crisis. Millions have already been forced to flee by war in the wider region and now many more will be displaced by disaster. In the midst of a winter storm and an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, it is vital that Syrians are not left to face the aftermath on their own.

NRC is assessing the situation in order to provide direct support to those most affected across Syria. A massive scale up is needed and our organisation will be part of it. We appeal to the international community for the immediate mobilisation of financial resources to support collective relief efforts in Syria and southern Türkiye. With every minute of delay, there will be lives lost.


10:15 AM

Israel to send medical and rescue workers

"At the request of the Turkish government, I have instructed all authorities to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search and rescue assistance," Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has said.

"The foreign and defence ministers have already been in contact with their counterparts and we will - in the coming hours - agree on the dispatching of a delegation as soon as possible," he added.


10:13 AM

5,300 wounded in quake in Turkey

Turkey's president adds that some 5,300 people have been injured. He says a search and rescue operation is ongoing and that he cannot predict how far the death toll will rise.


10:10 AM

Death toll in Turkey rises to 912

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, is giving a statement about the earthquake.

He says it is the biggest since 1939. He adds that the death toll has already sharply risen to 912.


10:07 AM

Quake on similar scale to 1939 catastrophe that killed 30,000

Monday's earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8, the same as a catastrophic tremor in 1939 that killed tends of thousands of people.

The 1939 Erzincan earthquake occurred at 1am on December 27, in eastern Turkey and along the North Anatolian fault line.

Erzincan, the capital of the province of the same name in Turkey, is said to have been destroyed 11 times since 1,000 AD.

Severe earthquakes in Turkey are not uncommon as it sits on the Anatolian Plate, a major source of seismic activity.


10:00 AM

Two-thousand-year-old castle damaged by quake

Diyarbakir's two thousand year-old castle, which towers over the city, has been badly damaged by the earthquake.

Serdar Murat Gursel, head of the unit responsible for restoration of architectural heritage at the Gaziantep Municipality, confirmed on Monday some walls of the castle have collapsed, there are cracks in the facade and stones have fallen.

The castle was first built as a watchtower in the 2nd century A.D. Mr Gürsel said the last restoration was about five years ago.


09:53 AM

Turkey quake one of the 'biggest in two decades'

Turkey's top earthquake scientist has described Monday's earthquake as one of the the biggest in over two decades.

"We are facing the biggest earthquake in 24 years in this part of the world," Dr Haluk Ozener, director of the earthquake research centre at Istanbul's Bogazici University, said in a statement on Monday.

"It was felt across our borders in Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Iraq and Syria and led to loss of life in some places. So far, 100 aftershocks have occurred."

He said he expected the aftershocks to continue in the coming days with a decreased intensity but warned that "these earthquakes can last up to a year."

Rescuers try to free a young boy from the rubble of a collapsed building follwoing an earthquake, in the Syrian border town of Azaz - AFP
Rescuers try to free a young boy from the rubble of a collapsed building follwoing an earthquake, in the Syrian border town of Azaz - AFP

09:50 AM

Concerns for "areas we haven't heard from"

The World Health Organisation has said it is concerned about areas of southern Turkey which "we haven't heard from," alluding to major power outages across the region.

A WHO spokesman said they were urgently working to map out the damage.


09:43 AM

Netherlands sending search and rescue teams to Turkey, Syria

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, has said the rescue workers are on their way.

"Terrible news about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Our thoughts are with all the victims of this severe natural disaster," he said.

People pull a survivor from the rubble in Diyarbakir on February 6, 2023 - Ilyas Akengin/AFP
People pull a survivor from the rubble in Diyarbakir on February 6, 2023 - Ilyas Akengin/AFP

09:37 AM

Syria death toll rises to 386

At least 386 people in neighbouring Syria have died after the earthquake, with the toll likely to rise.

This includes 239 people in government-controlled Syria and 139 in rebel-held parts of the country.

Northern Syria, which shares a border with southern Turkey - where the earthquake hit - has already been stricken by civil war and severe poverty.


09:33 AM

Watch: Hundreds dead after powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey


09:17 AM

Oil flows continue despite quake

There is no damage to the Kerkuk-Ceyhan pipeline carrying oil from Iraq to Turkey, or to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, and oil flows are continuing on both after a major earthquake hit Turkey, an energy official told Reuters on Monday.

However, operations at the Ceyhan oil terminal in southern Turkey were suspended, the Tribeca shipping agency said, adding that an emergency meeting was being held on the issue.


09:03 AM

76 firefighters and eight rescue dogs en route from Poland

According to Polish media reports, the HUSAR rescue group is dispatching nearly 80 firefighters and eight rescue dogs to the earthquake zone. The aid workers are leaving from Warsaw today.


09:00 AM

Putin offers aid to Assad

"Please accept my deep condolences on the numerous human casualties and large-scale destruction caused by a powerful earthquake in your country," Russian leader Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

"We are ready to provide the necessary assistance in this regard," he added.

Mr Putin is a close ally of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator.


08:53 AM

Turkish army opens 'air aid corridor' to quake zone

The Turkish army says it has set up an air aid corridor to the earthquake zone southern Turkey. It comes amid reports that a number of airports in the region have had to suspend flights due to the quake.


08:49 AM

EU sends aid workers to southern Turkey

The European Union is sending aid workers to Turkey and drawing up further steps this morning, officials have said.

"Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way," EU emergency response commissioner Janez Lenarcic tweeted.

He said that the bloc's Civil Protection Mechanism had been activated to respond to the quake, which hit Turkey and Syria, causing deaths and destruction in both countries.

His office said that Turkey had requested EU assistance.


08:44 AM

Germany 'shocked' and will send help

"We are following the news of the earthquake in the Turkish-Syrian border region with shock," Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, said on Twitter. "Germany will of course send help."


08:32 AM

Pictures show damage to Gaziantep castle

Images have emerged which show severe damage to the Hittite and Roman-era Gaziantep castle following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake.

Anadolu
Anadolu

08:30 AM

Millions left homeless in freezing conditions

The earthquake will force several million people living in the south of Turkey to camp out in the streets in the middle of an unusual cold spell: temperatures across the affected areas hovered around zero on Sunday night, and rain and snow is forecast for the next few years in the region where winters are typically mild.

Heating is likely to be a lasting problem in the region as the authorities cut off gas supply throughout, fearing incidents, and power supply was affected by the earthquake.

At least 30 substations were damaged, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez told a televised briefing, and blackouts were reported in Antep, Hatay and Kilis. Authorities were rolling out generators and mobile power plants to provide electricity for essential services, hospitals and soup kitchens.


08:29 AM

Greece, Israel, Egypt offer aid

"Greece is mobilizing its resources and will assist immediately ... (we are) deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake disaster," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote in a tweet.

Writing in Turkish, Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered help in a message on Twitter, adding: "The State of Israel is always ready to send aid by any means possible. Our hearts go out to the families and Turkish people who are grieving at this painful time."

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, in a statement early Monday, offered help to both Turkey and Syria following the powerful earthquake.

Search and rescue operation is being carried out at the debris of a building in Cukurova district of Adana after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit southern provinces of Turkiye, in Adana, Turkiye
Search and rescue operation is being carried out at the debris of a building in Cukurova district of Adana after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit southern provinces of Turkiye, in Adana, Turkiye

08:21 AM

France 'stands ready' to assist earthquake victims

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said:

Terrible images come to us from Turkey and Syria after an earthquake of unprecedented force. France stands ready to provide emergency aid to the populations on the spot. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families.


08:19 AM

Map shows scale of earthquake, from Egypt to Georgia

Anadolu
Anadolu

08:13 AM

130 buildings collapsed in Malatya city

The governor of Malatya, a city in southern Turkey not far from the epicentre, says 26 people have died while around 130 buildings have been destroyed.

It is feared that death tolls such as these will rise significantly as the day progresses.


08:03 AM

Thousands of rescue workers deployed to southern Turkey

Rescue workers from across Turkey on Monday were making their way to the south on Monday morning. The city of Istanbul alone was sending almost 1,000 emergency responders.

Transport infrastructure across the south was badly damaged.

In Hatay, a regional capital just west of Syria’s Aleppo, rescue efforts are likely to be further impeded by a damaged runway at the local airport as a social media video shot on Monday morning showed an airport worker standing on the tarmac next to a knee-high bump of mangled asphalt.

Anadolu
Anadolu

08:01 AM

White Helmets: Syria in 'state of catastrophe'

Syria is "in a state of catastrophe" with "destruction, devastation, and collapse of buildings," the White Helmets rescue group has said on Twitter.

"Hundreds of injuries, dozens of deaths, many trapped under the rubble or stranded in the winter cold," the group which operates in rebel-held parts of the war-torn country said.

A doctor at a hospital in the countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib said it had received the bodies of 30 people.

"After the earthquake which occurred today, we received 100 injured and 30 martyrs," said Doctor Majid Ibrahim of the Al-Rahma hospital.

"The situation is too bad because a lot of people are still under the debris of the buildings," he told AFP news agency.

Anadolu
Anadolu

07:59 AM

1,700 buildings destroyed so far

The earthquake hit Turkey's densely populated south, and over 1,700 buildings were already declared destroyed, according to Vice President Fuat Oktay.

Diyarbakir's hilltop 2,200-year-old castle, towering over the city, was badly damaged by the tremours: Drone footage showed parts of the recently restored buildings and ramparts missing.


07:57 AM

"The earthquake destroyed everything, pray for us"

"The earthquake destroyed everything, pray for us," Fared Al Mahlool, a Syrian photojournalist in Idlib province tweeted at 5am local time.

He posted a series of grim images from the city of Salqin, Idlib, where residents were picking through rubble for their loved ones.

"We  need international rescue teams to come to us from Turkey, people [are] under the rubble," he added.


07:52 AM

In pictures: Devastation across Turkey and Syria

Turkey - DENIZ TEKIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Turkey - DENIZ TEKIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Turkey - Ghaith Alsayed/AP
Turkey - Ghaith Alsayed/AP
Turkey - OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images
Turkey - OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images
Turkey - Bekir Omer Fansa/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Turkey - Bekir Omer Fansa/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

07:48 AM

Epicentre near the city of Gaziantep

The earthquake struck at 4.17am local time at a depth of about 17.9 kilometres (11 miles) near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which is home to around two million people, the US Geological Survey said.

Turkey's AFAD emergencies service centre reported the first quake's magnitude at 7.4, adding that it was followed by more than 40 aftershocks.

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.

Experts have long warned a large quake could devastate Istanbul, which has allowed widespread building without safety precautions.

A magnitude-6.8 quake hit Elazig in January 2020, killing more than 40 people.

And in October that year, a magnitude-7.0 quake hit Turkey's Aegean coast, killing 114 people and wounding more than 1,000.