Turkey and Syria: second large earthquake strikes as death toll rises to over 1,200 – latest updates

11.10am GMT

The White Helmets rescue service has now put the death toll in north-west Syria where it operates at more than 221, with at least 419 people injured, according to a post on Twitter.

The service stated there is “difficulty” in the rescue efforts as “hundreds remain trapped under rubble” and “heavy equipment” is needed. It said the number of dead and injured is expected to rise as hundreds of families are still trapped.

The tweet included graphic images of the scene including dead bodies wrapped in sheets.

11.01am GMT

Second large earthquake strikes Turkey and Syria less than 12 hours after first

Turkey reports that a second massive earthquake in less than 12 hours has hit the southeast of the country. State media in Syria have also said that Damascus was affected by the latest large quake, although details remain scant.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said that preliminary data showed the quake measured 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale, and was 67 km (42 miles) north north-east of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, at a depth of 2 km. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority stated that it was slightly smaller at 7.6 magnitude and at a greater depth.

The combined official death toll from the first quake in Turkey and Syria had already risen to over 1,200, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan describing it as the country’s largest disaster since 1939. He said that 912 people had been killed, with 5,383 wounded.

Syria ’s state news agency reported more than 320 dead in the country, with over 1,000 wounded. The White Helmets rescue service has also reported that 147 people had died and more than 340 were injured in Syria in areas where it operates.

The first quake struck as people slept, and measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, one of the most powerful quakes in the region in at least a century. Search and rescue operations have been hampered by poor weather. Turkey’s president said that over 45 nations had so far offered assistance.

10.48am GMT

There are reports that a large aftershock has occurred in the region. Reuters reports that state media in Syria has said Damascus has been struck by an earthquake. Syria’s capital is significantly further south from the area around Aleppo that was initially affected by the earthquake overnight. Other reports say that mild tremors were felt in Dohuk, Erbil and Mosul in Iraq, while some observers on social media have noted that it has been felt across Turkey including in Ankara.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre has tweeted that it detected a 7.7 quake twenty minutes ago, although it cautions this is preliminary data.

More details soon …

10.36am GMT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the earthquake that struck in the early hours was the country’s largest disaster since 1939, adding that 2,818 buildings had collapsed as a result, Reuters reports.

The 1939 Erzincan earthquake that Erdoğan referenced is believed to have killed 33,000 people. The 7.6 magnitude İzmit earthquake in 1999 is thought to have killed more than 17,000 people.

Updated at 10.37am GMT

10.27am GMT

In the wake of the 7.8 magnitude quake, another quake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale has also shaken Cyprus. The aftershock, whose epicentre was 75km southeast of Famagusta, hit at 11.23 am local time, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

The new quake follows what the eastern Mediterranean island’s geological survey department described as a series of “small tsunamis” off the Famagusta coast triggered by Monday’s massive quake earlier. Christodoulos Hadjigeorgiou, who directs the geological survey department, said the effect of the tsunamis could have been catastrophic had an underwater landslide been provoked.

Speaking to the island’s public broadcaster, CYBC, Hadjigeorgiou said the geological survey department was monitoring the situation closely. He said the first quake struck the Turkish-Syrian Gaziantep border area at 3:17 am followed by a second quake at 3.28 am measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale. Six aftershocks of over 5 on the Richter scale followed.

Monday’s devastating quake came hours after a 3.6 earthquake shook Cyprus on Sunday. That quake’s epicentre was located 25km north east of the coast of Paralimni.

In breakaway Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus a crisis centre has been set up with the aim of assisting mainland Turkish authorities.

10.22am GMT

Combined death toll in Turkey and Syria earthquake stands at over 1,200

The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria from the overnight 7.8-magnitude quake has risen officially to over 1,200, according to figures from the authorities.

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , said that 912 people had been killed in Turkey, with 5,383 wounded. He said authorities were unable to predict how high the toll might rise as search and rescue operations continued, Reuters report. He said 45 countries had so far offered assistance.

Syria ’s state news agency reported more than 320 dead in the country, with over 1,000 wounded. The White Helmets rescue service has also reported that 147 people had died and more than 340 were injured in Syria in areas where it operates, which are unlikely to have been included in the official state figures.

Hundreds are still believed to be trapped under rubble. The epicentre of the quake was near the city of Gaziantep in Turkey, and it was felt as far away as Cyprus.

Updated at 10.31am GMT

10.08am GMT

The earthquake has damaged Gaziantep castle , a historic landmark in southern Turkey that was first built in the second and third centuries. Here are some images of the building, which was in use during Roman times, and now serves as a museum.

Updated at 10.22am GMT

10.05am GMT

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was concerned about areas in Turkey from which there had been no news following the deadly overnight earthquake.

“National authorities will be focussing on search and rescue at the moment,” a WHO spokesperson told Reuters in a statement. “Then we will expect an increased need for trauma care to treat the injured and to support the entire health system in affected areas.”

9.57am GMT

Reuters has produced a roundup of some of the detailed offers of assistance that have been made to Turkey and Syria so far today, which include:

• India ’s government said two teams from India’s disaster response force comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and equipment were ready to be flown to the disaster area. Medical teams were being readied and relief material was being sent in coordination with the Turkish authorities.

• Poland will send a rescue group consisting of 76 firemen and eight dogs.

• The European Union said it had activated its emergency Copernicus satellite mapping service to help first responders working on the ground.

• Russia ’s emergencies ministry said it had two IL-76 aircraft with 100 rescuers were ready to fly out to Turkey if required.

• Urban rescue teams from Spain are preparing to travel to Turkey, the interior ministry said.

• Taiwan ’s fire department said it had a team of 130 people, along with five search dogs and 13 tonnes of aid, ready to go to Turkey, and was awaiting a response.

Updated at 10.23am GMT

9.51am GMT

The prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu , has issued the following statement about the earthquake affecting Turkey and Syria which has led to a significant loss of life. He said:

On behalf of all citizens of Israel, I send condolences to the citizens of Turkey at this difficult time for them following the earthquake that struck our region. At the request of the Turkish government, I have instructed all authorities to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search and rescue assistance. 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.

President Isaac Herzog added to the message coming out of Israel, saying:

On behalf of the Israeli people, I am deeply saddened by the enormous disaster that has befallen Turkey following last night’s earthquake. My condolences to President Erdoğan and the Turkish people for the loss of life and destruction of livelihoods. The state of Israel always stands ready to assist in every way possible. Our hearts are with the grieving families and the Turkish people at this painful moment.

Updated at 9.53am GMT

9.48am GMT

In their Turkish language coverage, the BBC is quoting Dr Haluk Özener , director at the Kandilli observatory and earthquake research institute. He has said:

We are facing the biggest earthquake we have seen in 24 years in this region. So far, 100 aftershocks have occurred. About 53 of them are over 4 [on the Richter scale]. Seven of them became over 5. We can say that these earthquakes will continue in the coming days.

Updated at 9.50am GMT

9.40am GMT

Earlier, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, tweeted his concern for Turkey after the earthquake, saying: “India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy.”

In the last few moments he has extended a similar message to Syria, saying that he was “deeply pained to learn that the devastating earthquake has also affected Syria”.

Updated at 9.48am GMT

9.33am GMT

Turkey’s Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which is currently under construction, was not damaged by the earthquake, Reuters reports an official from the Russian company building the plant as saying.

“Earth tremors of about magnitude 3 were felt here … but our specialists have not revealed any damage to building structures, cranes and equipment,” said Anastasia Zoteeva from Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom.

Updated at 9.40am GMT

9.24am GMT

Here are some of the latest images sent over the news wires of the aftermath of the earthquake, as search and rescue missions continue across the region affected.

9.15am GMT

Helena Smith reports for the Guardian from Athens:

Over in Greece where the 7.8 magnitude quake’s tremors were also felt, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has instructed specialised teams to be deployed to assist rescue efforts. A 25-strong EMAK rescue unit is believed to be on its way to southern Turkey with other assistance to follow.

In a tweet Mitsotakis expressed the “heartfelt condolences” of Greeks for the families of the hundreds whose lives have been lost so far.

“[We are] deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake disaster … Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims and our thoughts are with all the people affected. Greece is mobilizing its resources and will assist immediately,” he wrote.

The country’s head of state president, Katerina Sakelloropoulou, also voiced sympathy and support tweeting that the Greek people “stand in solidarity” with both countries.

“Overwhelmed by the images of destruction caused by earthquake in Turkey and Syria. On behalf of the Greek people and myself, I express my condolences to the families of the victims. We stand in solidarity, support the work of the rescue teams, and wish speedy recovery to the injured.

The earthquake struck at a time of particularly strained relations between Greece and Turkey. In December, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, threatened to strike Athens with short-range ballistic missile unless “you stay calm.”
“Greece is afraid of our missiles. They say that the TAYFUN missile will hit Athens, it will, unless you stay calm,” the leader told supporters.

Indicative of the state of relations, anti-Erdogan graffiti has appeared in the upmarket neighbourhood of Kolonaki in Athens, not far from the home of the Greek prime minister.

Updated at 9.21am GMT

9.12am GMT

Reuters has a video clip of a small child being rescued from rubble in Syria .

Another video that has emerged shows a building collapsing in Şanliurfa in Turkey as a result of aftershocks following the earlier quake.

Updated at 9.25am GMT

9.08am GMT

Turkish armed forces have set up an air corridor to enable search and rescue teams to reach the zone affected by the major earthquake in southern Turkey, the country’s defence ministry said on Monday.

“We mobilised our planes to send medical teams, search and rescue teams and their vehicles to the earthquake zone,” Reuters report the statement cited defence minister Hulusi Akar as saying.

9.07am GMT

Death toll rises in rebel-held areas in Syria, White Helmets say

The White Helmets rescue team said on Twitter that 147 people had died and more than 340 were injured in Syria in areas where it operates, Reuters reports. “The toll may increase as many families are still trapped,” it wrote. “Our teams are on the ground searching for survivors and removing the dead from the rubble.”

Updated at 9.09am GMT

8.40am GMT

Combined death toll in Turkey and Syria rises to more than 650 dead

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria early on Monday morning has killed at least 641 people, with the number expected to rise further. Hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped under rubble as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.

Associated Press report that Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency said at least 284 people were killed in seven Turkish provinces. The agency said 440 people were injured.

The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to 245 with more than 630 injured, according to Syrian state media. At least 147 people were killed in rebel-held areas, according to the White Helmets.

Buildings were reported collapsed in a cross-border swath extending from Syria’s cities of Aleppo and Hama to Turkey’s Diyarbakir, more than 330km (200 miles) to the north-east.

Nearly 900 buildings were destroyed in Turkey’s Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces, said vice-president Fuat Otkay. A hospital collapsed in the Mediterranean coastal city of Iskanderoun, but casualties were not immediately known, he said.

“Unfortunately, at the same time, we are also struggling with extremely severe weather conditions,” Oktay told reporters.

Updated at 9.57am GMT

8.32am GMT

The official death toll in Syria is most likely to only include people who have been affected by the earthquake in government-held areas. UOSSM , which provides emergency medical relief and healthcare services to Syrian people affected by the civil war there, has made an urgent appeal for assistance this morning.

In a statement, Dr Khaula Sawah , the president of UOSSM in the US, said:

The news we are seeing is terrifying and heartbreaking. We know building infrastructures in Syria have already been compromised from years of bombing campaigns. We need urgent aid immediately so we can help save lives of those injured in this massive earthquake. Our staff is working tirelessly but are overwhelmed with the numbers of casualties. We need urgent support immediately. Countless lives are at stake.

Updated at 8.35am GMT

8.24am GMT

The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has repeated the earlier message from the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, that the UK is ready to offer assistance in the aftermath of the earthquake that has killed over 500 people in Turkey and Syria. He tweeted:

My thoughts are with the people of Turkey and Syria this morning, particularly with those first responders working so valiantly to save those trapped by the earthquake. The UK stands ready to help in whatever way we can.

Updated at 8.26am GMT

8.19am GMT

In Turkey , people trying to leave the quake-stricken regions caused traffic jams, hampering efforts of emergency teams trying to reach the affected areas. Associated Press reports that authorities urged residents not to take to the roads and that mosques around the region were being opened up as shelters for people unable to return to damaged homes amid temperatures that hovered around freezing.

In Diyarbakir , hundreds of rescue workers and civilians formed lines across a mountain of wreckage, passing down broken concrete pieces, household belongings and other debris as they searched for trapped survivors while excavators dug through the rubble below. Survivors were strapped to stretchers and carefully handed down to a street where they were put in an ambulance.

In the Turkish city of Adana , one resident said three buildings near his home collapsed. “I don’t have the strength any more,” one survivor could be heard calling out from beneath the rubble as rescue workers tried to reach him, said the resident, journalism student Muhammet Fatih Yavus.

On the Syrian side of the border, the quake smashed opposition-held regions that are packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of Syria by the country’s long civil war. Many of them live in buildings that are already wrecked from past bombardment. Hundreds of families remained trapped in rubble, the emergency organisation called the White Helmets, said in a statement. Strained health facilities and hospitals were quickly filled with wounded, rescue workers said.

Updated at 8.24am GMT

8.13am GMT

Operations at Turkey’s oil terminal in Ceyhan have been halted, the Tribeca shipping agency said, adding that an emergency meeting will take place on the issue.

Reuters reports that in a notice, Tribeca said ports in southeastern Turkey are affected by the quake and that delays in operations are reported.

Turkey’s pipeline operator BOTAS said there were no damages on main pipelines.

7.52am GMT

The White House has issued a statement saying that President Joe Biden has instructed the federal government to prepare US assistance. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said:

The US is profoundly concerned by the reports of today’s destructive earthquake in Turkey and Syria. We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance. President Biden has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess US response options to help those most affected. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with the government of Turkey.

The statement omits any reference to the US working directly with the government of Syria. The US currently has a wide range of economic sanctions imposed on Syria and the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.

Updated at 7.56am GMT

7.45am GMT

As Europe’s politicians are waking up to the news that is emerging from Turkey and Syria offers of assistance continue to be made. Sweden’s prime minister, Ulf Kristersson , has offered his condolences and help from his country, tweeting :

Saddened about the loss of lives in Türkiye and Syria following the major earthquake. Our thoughts go to the victims and their loved ones. I have sent my deepest condolences to Tayyip Erdoğan. As partner of Turkey and holder of the EU presidency, we stand ready to offer our support.

Relations between Turkey and Sweden have recently been strained, with Turkey refusing so far to ratify Sweden’s attempt to join Nato.

The British foreign secretary, James Cleverly , has also said that his country stands by ready to help, tweeting:

Tragic loss of life in the Turkey and Syria earthquake. Our condolences go to the families of those who died and our thoughts are with the survivors. The UK stands ready to provide assistance.

7.37am GMT

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck central Turkey and north-west Syria early on Monday morning, killing more than 500 people and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed across the region, triggering searches for survivors in the rubble.

Turkey’s vice-president, Fuat Oktay, said 284 people had been killed and 2,323 people were injured , as authorities scrambled rescue teams and supply aircraft to the affected area, while declaring a “level 4 alarm” that calls for international assistance.

In Syria, already devastated by more than 11 years of civil war, a government health official said more than 237 people had been killed and about 600 injured , most in the provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia, where numerous buildings tumbled down.

Reuters reports President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by telephone with the governors of eight affected provinces to gather information on the situation and rescue efforts, his office said in a statement.

Updated at 7.42am GMT

7.28am GMT

Here are some more of the latest images to come through from Turkey.

7.24am GMT

Ruth Michaelson reports for the Guardian:

In the southern Turkish town of Gaziantep , about 150 miles from the border with Syria and 50 miles from the epicentre of the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş, residents felt aftershocks hours later.

“We woke up with a jolt, as the electricity was off. We laid still and waited for the shaking to finish. Our house was full of broken glass,” said tradesman Sinan Şahan in Gaziantep. “We used our phone’s flashlight so we could see to get dressed, and hurried out of the house. Anyone able to save themselves has now fled somewhere. I have relatives in Kahramanmaraş, their houses were destroyed. I have seen ambulances going from Antep center to the south side of Maraş since this morning.”

He added: “I was in Istanbul when the big earthquake hit in 1999, this was more severe than that.” He broke off as another aftershock hit.

Images from Gaziantep broadcast by Turkish outlet Milliyet showed how the quake caused the collapse of Gaziantep’s historic castle, an ancient and imposing stone structure atop a hill used as an observation point during Roman times.

Turkey’s disaster management agency, the AFAD, said that at least 66 aftershocks had occurred after the quake shortly before 9am local time.

Updated at 7.43am GMT

7.21am GMT

Russia ’s defence ministry said that its military facilities had not been damaged by the major earthquake that struck central Turkey and northwest Syria, Reuters reports.

Russia, which is closely allied with the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, maintains a significant military presence in the country.

7.18am GMT

Josep Borrell , the EU’s most senior diplomat, has tweeted that the 27 country bloc is ready to help Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which has killed hundreds. Borrell writes:

Devastating earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria this morning, claiming the lives of hundreds of people and injuring many more. Our thoughts are with the people of Turkey and Syria. The EU is ready to help.

7.16am GMT

Official death toll in Turkey rises to 284, with over 2,000 people injured

The death toll has risen to 284 from an earthquake which shook Turkey’s south early on Monday, with 2,323 people injured, vice president Fuat Oktay told a news conference.

Reuters report he said 70 people were killed in the province of Kahramanmaraş, where the quake epicentre was located, along with 20 people in Osmaniye, 18 in Şanlıurfa, 14 in Diyarbakir and 13 in Adiyaman.

With over 230 killed in Syria, the death toll from the earthquake has now risen above 500.

Updated at 7.20am GMT

7.13am GMT

Rescue efforts continue across the region, with images being sent over the news wires of children and adults being pulled from the wreckage of buildings in Syria and Turkey.

7.08am GMT

Reuters has a quick snap that Turkey’s vice president has announced that flights are suspended from Hatay airport due to damage from the earthquake. The airport is in Turkey’s south, close to the border with Syria and near the city of Aleppo.

• This is Martin Belam taking over the live blog in London.

7.03am GMT

Italian authorities have withdrawn a tsunami warning for the country’s southern coast.

The alert was raised shortly after the earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria. Italy’s Civil Protection Department had recommended people in the coastal areas move to high ground.

6.57am GMT

Summary

If you are just joining us, here is everything we know so far about the massive quake that hit Turkey overnight, bringing down buildings across the border in Syria too:

• More than 300 people have been killed and 1000 injured in Turkey and Syria after a strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit south-eastern Turkey on Monday.

• The quake hit at 4:17am local time (01:17 GMT) and was felt in Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece and Israel.

• The quake was centred about 32km (20 miles) from Gaziantep , a major city and provincial capital in the country’s south-east, and about 26km (16 miles) from the town of Nurdağı.

• It was 17.7km (11 miles) deep, according to the US Geological Survey. A strong 6.7 temblor rumbled about 10 minutes later.

• The number of casualties was emerging as the search for survivors continued early on Monday. At least 76 were dead in Turkey after the quake, Turkish officials said, according to AFP. Officials said 23 people died in the province of Malatya, 17 in Urfa, seven in Osmaniye, and six in Diyarbakir, although the toll threatened to climb much higher because of the heavy damage.

• There were also reports of deaths in Syria. At least 245 people were killed across Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia and 516 were injured, according to the Syrian health ministry.

• A source at a hospital in north Syria told AFP at least eight people had died “in the regions of Azaz and al-Bab”, adding that the number was likely to rise as search and rescue operations were ongoing.

• Turkish interior minister Süleyman Soylu said 10 cities had been affected by the quake. Speaking to reporters on Monday, the official said the cities of Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis had all suffered damage.

• Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency said the earthquake was felt most intensely in the surrounding provinces of Kahramanmaraş, but was also strongly felt in Hatay, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Malatya and Şanlıurfa.

• Members of the Syrian civil defence operating in rebel-held areas are claiming “tens of victims and people stuck under rubble” after the quake. The civil defence, known as the White Helmets, said in a post on Twitter that the volunteer group was working to rescue survivors.

• There were reports of tremors felt in Lebanon, Greece, Syria, Israel and Cyprus.

• Videos posted on social networks showed destroyed buildings in several cities in the south-east of the country.

Updated at 6.59am GMT

6.39am GMT

Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad has chaired an emergency meeting of the nation’s council of ministers to assess the damage of the earthquake, according to a Facebook post by Syria’s health ministry.

It said in another post that medical professionals are being sent to affected regions.

6.34am GMT

Ukraine ready to provide help following earthquake: Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said his country was ready to provide necessary assistance to “friendly” Turkish people in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck the country earlier on Monday, Reuters reports.

Zelenskiy said on Twitter:

Shocked by the news about the death and injury of hundreds of people as a result of the earthquake in Turkey.

We extend our condolences to the families of the victims and wish the injured a speedy recovery. We are in this moment close to the friendly Turkish people, ready to provide the necessary assistance.

Updated at 6.56am GMT

6.28am GMT

Key event

More than 300 dead in Turkey and Syria

The toll from the earthquake in Syria has risen to more than 230 dead , and 600 wounded, a senior health official has told state media.

In neighbouring Turkey, where the earthquake was centred, the nation’s disaster management agency AFAD said on Monday that 76 people had been killed and 440 injured.

Updated at 6.53am GMT

6.22am GMT

Nearly 1000 search and rescue volunteers are being deployed from Istanbul to the affected earthquake regions in Turkey , according to the Governor of Istanbul, Ali Yerlikaya said.

This comes after Turkey’s disaster management agency called for international support to expand its search and rescue effort.

6.19am GMT

Across affected regions of Turkey and Syria, rescue efforts are underway:

6.19am GMT

Turkey: deadly earthquake strikes near Syrian border – video

Footage capturing the frantic rescue efforts underway following the 7.8 magnitude tremor in southern Turkey and northern Syria, which has caused widespread destruction and trapped people under rubble.

6.11am GMT

Destruction strikes at night as huge earthquake rocks Turkey and Syria – in pictures

Our picture editors have gathered some of the images emerging from Turkey and Syria that capture the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake.

Related: Destruction strikes at night as huge earthquake rocks Turkey and Syria – in pictures

6.06am GMT

The White Helmets declare state of emergency in northeastern Syria

The White Helmets has put out a statement declaring a state of emergency in northwestern Syria following the earthquake.

The statement said:

The earthquake has resulted in hundreds of injuries, dozens of deaths, and people being stranded in the winter cold. Adverse weather conditions, including low temperatures and stormy weather have, have compounded the dire situation.

The group is appealing to international humanitarian organisations to intervene promptly and support the affected populations with aid.

5.56am GMT

‘Two of my friends are under the rubble now, we are trying to reach them’, Pazarcık resident says

In Turkey’s Pazarcık , residents said they feared for those trapped under fallen buildings.

Nihat Altundağ said the powerful shocks from the earthquake woke his family:

Our house looks solid from the outside but there are cracks inside. There are destroyed buildings around me, there are houses on fire. There are buildings that are cracking. A building collapsed just 200 meters away from where I am now. Thank God, our friends are safe, but we heard there are people who can’t get out of their homes and there are people we can’t reach.

We are waiting for the sun to rise so that we can see the scale of the earthquake. People are all outside, all in fear.

“Pazarcik is in ruins,” said resident Hüseyin Satı.

The building where I live is not so tall, and was built in compliance with earthquake regulations, so it didn’t collapse. But still there are cracks on the walls. A neighbour of mine broke his back while jumping from the balcony during the earthquake and is now in hospital.

Satı said that civilians were frantically trying to help dig their neighbours out from under collapsed buildings. He said:

Two of my friends are under the rubble now, we are trying to reach them.

Meanwhile in Turkey’s Gaziantep , resident Erdam told Reuters he has never felt an earthquake of such magnitude.

We were shaken at least three times very strongly, like a baby in a crib.

Everybody is sitting in their cars or trying to drive to open spaces away from buildings.

I imagine not a single person in Gaziantep is in their homes now.

5.46am GMT

At least 111 killed in Syria: health ministry

At least 111 people were killed across Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia and 516 were injured, according to the Syrian health ministry.

The situation is very tragic, tens of buildings have collapsed in the city of Salqin,” a member of the White Helmets rescue organisation said in a video clip on Twitter, referring to a town about 5 km (3 miles) from the Turkish border.

The rescuer on the clip, which showed a rubble-strewn street, said homes were “totally destroyed”.

Many buildings in the region had already suffered damage in fighting during Syria’s nearly 12-year-long civil war.

5.34am GMT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reportedly met with the governors of Adana, Malatya, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Hatay, Adıyaman, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa to discuss the situation after the earthquake, according to state media reports.

Erdoğan, who will be under pressure to oversee an effective response to the disaster heading to a tightly-contested 14 May election, conveyed his sympathies and urged national unity.

“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” the Turkish leader tweeted.

Updated at 5.35am GMT

5.30am GMT

Residents flee homes in terror

On the streets in towns and cities across southeast Turkey and Syria, people have fled their homes to take shelter in cars, fearing aftershocks and more collapsed buildings.

Rescue workers and residents are still frantically searching for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border.

In one quake-struck Turkish city, dozens pulled away chunks of concrete and twisted metal. People on the street shouted up to others inside a partially toppled apartment building, leaning dangerously.

Residents in the town of Pazarcık said they feared for those trapped under fallen buildings. Nihat Altundağ said the powerful shocks from the earthquake woke his family.

Our house looks solid from the outside but there are cracks inside. There are destroyed buildings around me, there are houses on fire. There are buildings that are cracking. A building collapsed just 200 meters away from where I am now. Thank god, our friends are safe, but we heard there are people who can’t get out of their homes and there are people we can’t reach…

We are waiting for the sun to rise so that we can see the scale of the earthquake. People are all outside, all in fear.”

State media showed frantic people across southern Turkey crowding into streets, amid warning from domestic emergency services that people could still be trapped underneath collapsed buildings.

5.25am GMT

We are getting more images showing attempts to rescue people from under collapsed buildings:

5.21am GMT

US President Joe Biden has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess response options to the most affected areas in the Turkey and Syria earthquake , national security advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement on Sunday.

Sullivan also tweeted:

The US is profoundly concerned by today’s destructive earthquake in Turkey and Syria. I have been in touch with Turkish officials to relay that we stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkey.”

5.17am GMT

Authorities in Italy have warned of a potential tsunami risk on the country’s coast.

Officials called on citizens in coastal areas to move to higher areas and wait for more information from local authorities.

The European-Mediterranean seismological centre’s monitoring service told Reuters it was assessing the risk of a tsunami.

A statement released this morning read:

Based on the data processed by the Ingv Tsunami Alert Center (CAT), the Civil Protection Department has issued an alert for possible tsunami waves arriving on the Italian coast following the earthquake of magnitude 7.9 with its epicenter between Turkey and Syria at 02.17.

It is recommended to move away from the coastal areas, to reach the higher nearby area and to follow the indications of the local authorities.”

5.13am GMT

More than 100 dead in Turkey and Syria

It’s just past 8am in Gaziantep, Turkey, as we receive more information on the total number of deaths cause by a powerful earthquake this morning.

Turkey’s disaster management agency AFAD said on Monday that 76 people had been killed and 440 injured in the massive earthquake that reverberated through several provinces in the south of the country.

“76 of our citizens lost their lives in Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, and 440 citizens were injured in Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kilis,” AFAD said.

At least 50 people have died in neighbouring Syria .

Forty-two people were killed in government-controlled parts of the country, state media said, while a local hospital told AFP that eight others were killed in northern areas controlled by pro-Turkish factions.

“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.

Rescuers are continuing the search the rubble of collapsed buildings as the death toll is expected to rise.

Updated at 5.13am GMT

5.02am GMT

A total of 42 aftershocks have been felt in the two hours since the quake first struck at 4.17 am local time, according to Turkey’s ministry of interior disaster and emergency management.

The ministry issued a statement, saying:

As of 6:30am, a total of 42 aftershocks, the largest of which was 6.6, were experienced.”

4.56am GMT

76 killed and 440 injured: Turkey’s disaster agency

As the death toll continues to climb, the latest figures released by Turkey’s disaster agency (AFAD) say 76 people have so far been killed while another 440 have been injured.

76 of our citizens lost their lives in Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, and 440 citizens were injured in Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kilis,” AFAD said.

Updated at 5.04am GMT

4.53am GMT

It’s almost 8am in Turkey, and the morning light has brought scenes of chaos.

4.48am GMT

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing dozens, levelling buildings and sending tremors that were felt as far away as the island of Cyprus.

At least 10 cities across Turkey have been badly affected, including Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis , according to Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency.

South across the border in Syria, Aleppo , Hama and Latakia have also been hard hit as a result of the earthquake.

4.36am GMT

The situation in northern Syria appears to be particularly dire, according to local authorities.

Major damage has so far been reported deep into the region on the Syrian side of the border, an area that includes millions of people already internally displaced by war in areas with fragile infrastructure.

At least 11 were killed in one town, Atmed , and many more were buried in the rubble, a doctor in the town, Muheeb Qaddour, told The Associated Press by telephone.

We fear that the deaths are in the hundreds,” Qaddour said, referring to the rebel-held northwest. “We are under extreme pressure.”

4.27am GMT

Scores dead in Turkey and Syria

Several hours after the earthquake as rescue teams rush to find people affected, the scale of destruction is slowly beginning to take shape.

Local officials in Turkey put the initial death toll at 53, although it threatened to climb substantially higher because it caught most people while they were still at home asleep and many may still be trapped under fallen buildings.

Early statements by officials suggested the death toll was at least 23 in Turkey’s Malatya province, 17 in Sanliurfa , six in Diyarbakir and five more in Osmaniye .

South across the border in Syria, state media said 42 had been killed and 200 injured 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.

The earthquake has levelled dozens of buildings across major cities of southern Turkey as well as Syria with tremors felt as far away as Ankara and the island of Cyprus.

Updated at 4.41am GMT

4.20am GMT

23 killed and 420 injured in Malatya: governor

We are receiving some more information from Malatya , a city in eastern Turkey hit by today’s earthquake.

According to the regional governor, and as cited by Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, 23 people have been killed in the city, another 420 injured and 140 buildings collapsed.

4.19am GMT

Images from inside Syria show fallen buildings and rescue attempts:

4.12am GMT

Members of the Syrian civil defence operating in rebel-held areas are claiming “tens of victims and people stuck under rubble” in northern Syria on Monday.

The civil defence, known as the White Helmets, said in a post on Twitter that the volunteer group was working to rescue survivors.

Dozens of victims and trapped under the rubble as a result of the earthquakes that struck northwest Syria at dawn today.”

4.04am GMT

At least eight dead in north Syria: hospital reports

At least eight people have died in north Syria, according to a hospital in the region.

“Eight people have died in the regions of Azaz and al-Bab,” a source at a local hospital told Agence France-Presse, adding that the number is likely to rise as search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Major damage has been reported deep into northern Syria, an area that includes millions of people already internally displaced by war in areas with fragile infrastructure.

Members of the Syrian civil defence, a search and rescue service known as the White Helmets, shared video from the town of Salqin in the northern province of Idlib close to the border with Turkey, saying they had begun work to rescue people trapped under collapsed buildings.

Disastrous conditions, collapses in residential buildings and some victims trapped under the rubble as a result of the earthquake that struck northwest Syria today. Our teams are on the highest levels of alert to respond and rescue those trapped,” they said.

3.57am GMT

15 killed, 30 injured in Sanliurfa province: governor

We are receiving some more information from Sanliurfa , the Turkish province east of Gaziantep where the quake’s epicentre was located.

Governor Salih Ayhan reported that at least 15 people were killed and another 30 injured in the province in an interview with Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk.

3.47am GMT

More images of fallen buildings and wreckage are coming in, as dawn is breaking:

3.45am GMT

Turkish interior minister Suleymon Soylu says 10 cities have been affected by the quake.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the official said the cities of Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis had all suffered damage.

Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency said the earthquake was felt most intensely in the surrounding provinces of Kahramanmaraş, but was also strongly felt in Hatay, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Malatya and Şanlıurfa.

3.35am GMT

In Sanliurfa , the Turkish province east of Gaziantep where the quake’s epicentre was located, the effects were “severe and long-lasting” according to officials.

Governor Salih Ayhan urged citizens not to panic in a Twitter post early on Monday morning.

3.31am GMT

Some images are dropping from inside Turkey and Syria showing large-scale destruction:

3.30am GMT

At least 15 dead - reports

New information from Agence France-Presse claims the death toll has increased to at least 15 people, with the number expected to climb much higher.

Locals officials said five people died in the province of Osmaniye and 10 more in Sanliurfa, which sits near Turkey’s border with Syria.

3.25am GMT

Concern for millions of Syrian refugees at epicentre of quake

The epicentre of the quake is home to millions of Syrian refugees living in Turkey outside the city of Gaziantep .

Turkey hosts the largest number of refugees in the world, 3.5 million Syrians, according to the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, which runs one of its largest operations from Gaziantep.

Many live in tents and makeshift structures.

In northwest Syria, the opposition’s Syrian civil defence described the situation in the rebel-held region as “disastrous” adding that entire buildings have collapsed and people are trapped under the rubble. The civil defence urged people to evacuate buildings to gather in open areas.

3.20am GMT

Videos posted on social networks show the moment multiple apartment buildings collapsed in southern Turkey.

A BBC Turkish correspondent in Diyarbakir reports that a shopping mall in the city collapsed.

Rushdi Abualouf, a BBC producer in the Gaza Strip, said there was about 45 seconds of shaking in the house he was staying in.

3.15am GMT

Turkey is in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.

The country sits atop the Anatolian Plate, a block of the Earth’s crust that is slowly rotating counterclockwise and shifting west with time, moving about an inch every year. Collisions with the African plate and Eurasian plate can result in frequent earthquakes.

Düzce was one of the regions hit by 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 Elazığ in January 2020, killing more than 40 people. And in October that year, a magnitude 7.0 quake hit the Aegean Sea, killing 114 people and wounding more than 1,000.

3.09am GMT

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , has tweeted his “best wishes” to citizens affected by the earthquake which was “felt in many parts of our country”.

“Our search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the areas affected,” he wrote.

3.07am GMT

At least 10 killed, dozens trapped under rubble

At least 10 people have been killed in Turkey after an earthquake shook the country’s south and also northern Syria, two local Turkish officials said.

Five people died in Turkey’s Osmaniye province, its regional governor, said adding that 34 buildings had collapsed.

The mayor of Turkey’s Sanliurfa said another five people died and 16 buildings in the region collapsed.

3.04am GMT

What we know so far

Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the earthquake that hit Turkey early on Monday. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as they unfold.

If you have just joined us, here is what we know so far:

• A strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey early on Monday and was felt across the border in Lebanon and Syria.

• The quake struck at 4.17 am local time (0117 GMT). It was centred about 32km (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital in the country’s south-east, and about 26km (16 miles) from the town of Nurdağı.

• It was 17.7km (11 miles) deep, according to the US Geological Survey. A strong 6.7 temblor rumbled about 10 minutes later.

• There were reports of tremors felt in Lebanon, Greece, Syria, Israel and Cyprus.

• Videos posted on social networks showed destroyed buildings in several cities in the south-east of the country.

Updated at 3.21am GMT