Turkey Seeks International Assistance After Deadly 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake

A massive earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday (5 February), knocking down entire buildings in several cities and trapping scores of people under the huge piles of rubble.

The quake, with a magnitude of 7.8 according to the United States Geological Survey, struck about 33 kilometers from the major city of Gaziantep and a strong aftershock hit 10 minutes later, followed by a series of smaller shocks.

According to the reports, at least 20 people were killed in Turkey and at least 42 in Syria, and death tolls in both countries is expected to rise further.

Turkey's interior minister Suleyman Soylu said in televised remarks that the country was ready to accept international aid in response to the quake.

Buildings were reported to have collapsed in the Turkish provinces of Malatya and Diyarbakir, and in the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Hama.

"I convey my best wishes to all our citizens who were affected by the earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş and was felt in many parts of our country," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted.

"Our search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the areas affected by the earthquake," Erdogan said.

"We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage," he added.