According to updated data as of 12:20, more than 900 people have been killed in the earthquake in Turkey, and the number of injured exceeds 5,000, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Anadolu Agency reports.
"So far, 912 of our citizens have been killed and 5385 have been wounded," he said.
The earthquake also affected Syria. It is one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in more than 100 years, CNN reports.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred just after 4 a.m. on Monday, 6 February, local time, in the Gaziantep province of southern Turkey, at a depth of 24.1 kilometres. The earthquake was felt in several countries, including Syria and Lebanon.
In neighbouring Syria, according to preliminary reports, at least 237 people were killed and more than 630 injured, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported, citing a representative of the Ministry of Health. The deaths were reported in Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus. The exact number of dead and wounded in Syria is being established.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reported that the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey is in contact with the Turkish authorities, checking for Ukrainian citizens among the victims.
To help Ukrainians in Turkey, the Embassy has opened two hotlines: +90 539 550 98 98 and +90 312 442 15 93.
Relatives in Ukraine can also contact the MFA hotline: +380 44 238 15 88.
