At least 195 people were killed and several buildings knocked down in Turkey and Syria after a powerful 7.8-magnitude quake struck southern Turkey on Monday, with the toll expected to rise.
Tukey's state media reported nearly 100 people were confirmed dead while around 440 others were hurt. At least 130 buildings tumbled down in Malatya province while 16 collapsed in Diyarbakir. Search for survivors trapped under the rubble is underway.
Tremors were also felt in the Turkish capital of Ankara, 460 km northwest of the epicentre. In the wake of the quake, Turkish authorities have declared a "level 4 alarm" that calls for international assistance.
In northern Syria, at least 99 people were killed and 334 people injured, said officials. Several buildings were flattened in Aleppo. The tremors were so strong that they were felt as far away as Lebanon and Cyprus.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the quake.
According to the US Geological Survey, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck southern Turkey in the wee hours of Monday, followed by another strong temblor of magnitude 6.7.
