Southern Turkey has been hit by a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake. Death toll from Turkey-Syria quake rises to 139, nearly 800 injured – BNO count.
- Many casualties are feared after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake knocked down multiple buildings in southeast Turkey and Syria.
- At least 53 deaths were reported in Turkey, while another 11 people died in Syria.
- 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.
