At least 10 dead after powerful earthquake rocks southeast Turkey

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake has damaged several buildings in southeastern Turkey and Syria, with many casualties feared.

In Sanliurfa, at least 10 deaths have been confirmed, according to Governor Salih Ayhan.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the quake-hit area.

“We hope that we will overcome this disaster as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote.

At least six aftershocks were recorded.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu urged people not to enter damaged buildings because of the risk.

“Our priority is to bring the people trapped in the damaged building and transfer them to the hospital,” he said.

Several buildings collapsed in the neighboring provinces of Malatya, Diyarbakir and Malatya, HaberTurk television reported. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The US Geological Survey said the quake was centered about 33 kilometers from Gaziantep, the main city and provincial capital. The epicenter was 18 kilometers deep, and a powerful 6.7 aftershock struck about 10 minutes later.

The earthquake was felt in neighboring countries

In northwest Syria, the opposition Syrian Civil Defense described the situation in rebel-held areas as “catastrophic”, adding that all buildings had collapsed and people were trapped under the rubble.

Civil defense urged people to evacuate buildings and gather in open areas.

Syrian state media reported that several buildings collapsed in the northern city of Aleppo and the central city of Hama.

In Damascus, buildings shook and many people took to the streets in fear.

The quake jolted residents in Lebanon out of bed, shaking buildings for 40 seconds. Many Beirut residents left their homes and took to the streets or drove their cars away from buildings.

The earthquake occurred as the Middle East was hit by a snowstorm that was expected to continue until Thursday.

Turkey sits on top of a major fault line and is frequently rocked by earthquakes.

An estimated 18,000 people died in a powerful earthquake that struck northwestern Turkey in 1999.