February 6, 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake news

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Turkey early Monday is tied as the strongest the country has experienced in more than 100 years of records, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS said an equally powerful 7.8 magnitude quake that hit eastern Turkey in 1939 resulted in more than 30,000 deaths.

Karl Lang, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech University's School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, told CNN the area hit by the quake Monday is prone to seismic activity.

Earthquakes of this magnitude are rare, with fewer than five occurring per year anywhere in the world, on average. 

"What's really unusual here is that it's a very large earthquake that is also close to the surface," Lang said.

Some context: Turkey is no stranger to strong earthquakes; seven quakes with magnitude 7.0 or greater have struck the country in the past 25 years —  but Monday's is the most powerful. It is also the strongest quake to hit anywhere in the world since an 8.1 magnitude quake struck a remote region near the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean in 2021, resulting in no damage. 

At least 42 people have died and 200 others were injured in Syria after a strong earthquake hit southern Turkey early Monday, Syria's state-run news agency SANA reported, citing a Health Ministry official. 

The deaths have been reported in the regions of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia, SANA said. 

Multiple buildings collapsed in Syria after the earthquake struck neighboring southern Turkey early on Monday, SANA said. 

The "White Helmets" group, officially known as the Syria Civil Defense, also said there have been dozens of victims and hundreds trapped under the rubble in the opposition-controlled Idlib region.

Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) on Monday called on the international community for help after a powerful deadly quake hit the south of the country.

AFAD said in a statement it needed international help "in the field of urban search and rescue."

The quake occurred at 4:17 a.m. local time and was followed by 32 aftershocks, the statement said.

The provinces that felt the quake "intensely" across Turkey were Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Malatya and Adana, AFAD said.

Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said search and rescue teams have been dispatched to the south of the country after a deadly powerful quake struck early Monday.

He added there are some serious traffic jams in some places and asked people to make way for ambulances and rescue teams.

Turkish officials say at least 17 people have been killed after the magnitude 7.8 quake hit.

Multiple buildings have collapsed in Syria after a powerful earthquake struck neighboring southern Turkey early on Monday, Syria's state-run news agency SANA reported. 

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the quake hit near Kahramanmaras and the city of Gaziantep, close to the Syrian border.

An eight-story building collapsed in Syria's Hama province, SANA reported, citing the Hama Fire Brigade. Multiple buildings were also reported to have collapsed in the port city of Latakia and the city of Aleppo, SANA said. 

Exams scheduled for Monday in at least two Syrian universities have been postponed, SANA said. 

Kerem Kinik, president of Turkey's Red Crescent, said the organization is shipping additional blood supplies to southern Turkey after a deadly earthquake struck early Monday. 

The Red Crescent is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.

At least 17 people have died in the wake of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit southern Turkey Monday morning.

At least five people from the Osmaniye province have died, Gov. Erdinç Yılmaz told CNN affiliate CNN Turk. 

Yılmaz said at least 34 buildings collapsed, according to preliminary data.

An additional 12 people have died in Sanliurfa province, Gov. Salih Ayhan told CNN affiliate CNN Turk. Ayhan also said at least 18 buildings have collapsed. 

At least 10 provinces across southeastern Turkey have been impacted by the earthquake, according to Turkish authorities. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent his “best wishes” to those affected by the earthquake.

At least 17 people were killed when the 7.8-magnitude quake hit southern Turkey in the early hours of Monday, toppling buildings and sending residents running into the streets as aftershocks were felt across the region.

Erdogan said the quake was felt in many parts of the country and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) of Turkey was on alert to assist the victims.

Gaziantep Gov. Davut Gul said on Twitter that "the earthquake was felt strongly in our city."

Gul advised the public to wait outside their homes and stay calm.

The magnitude 7.8 quake hit at a depth of 24.1 kilometers (14.9 miles), 23 kilometers (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi, Gaziantep province, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said Monday.