Earthquake death toll
At least 5,434 deaths have been reported in Turkey, while 1,832 people have died in Syria. The death toll is likely to keep rising.
Yunus Sezer, who heads the AFAD agency, said an additional 15,384 people were injured in Turkey, while 6,217 buildings have collapsed.
The two quakes were followed by 243 aftershocks, he said, adding that 16,400 rescue workers were active in the affected areas.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that “search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched” to the areas hit by the quake. “We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote..
Cold weather hampering rescue efforts
Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Istanbul, said bad weather across the country could hinder search and rescue efforts in areas affected by Monday’s earthquake.
“The flights from Istanbul and Ankara to eastern Turkey have been cancelled because of wind, rain and snow in Istanbul and heavy snow in Ankara. So we cannot easily access the affected areas,” she said.
“And in eastern Turkey, in Gaziantep, there is heavy snow. And in Kahramanmaras, there is rain. Our colleagues and friends in the area say they are outside, in the cold, and that they are afraid to go inside their buildings.” she added.
The earthquake’s epicentre is home to millions of Syrian refugees living in Turkey outside the city of Gaziantep.
Thousands of residents have been left without shelter in freezing temperatures. Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing by Tuesday, with the low in Gaziantep falling to -6 Celsius (21 Fahrenheit).