A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake has hit southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria early Monday, collapsing buildings and killing more than thousand people, Associated Press reports.
Thousands were injured. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the earthquake-struck area.
Thousands of buildings were destroyed in Türkiye’s Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces. A hospital collapsed in the Mediterranean coastal city of Iskanderoun, but casualties were not immediately known.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured Monday’s earthquake at 7.8. It said the quake was centered about 33 kilometers from Gaziantep. It was 18 kilometers deep. At least 20 aftershocks followed, some hours later, the strongest measuring 6.6, according to the Turkish authorities.
During the second half of the day, a second massive earthquake of 7.6 magnitude has hit the southeast of Türkiye.
Many countries offered to send help, whether medical supplies, search teams or money.