UPDATE:

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his sadness over the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria in a post on Twitter.

As he announced, authorities will be immediately activated and aid will be sent to the two countries.

Deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake disaster in Türkiye and Syria. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims and our thoughts are with all the people affected. Greece is mobilizing its resources and will assist immediately.

— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) February 6, 2023

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The magnitude of the 7.8 Richter earthquake in Turkey and Syria is taking on unimaginable tragedy proportions with the latest numbers of casualties in both countries being more than 1500 dead, with authorities fearing that the final toll will be much higher as there are hundreds of injured people as well.

As announced shortly after 9 am by Turkey’s vice president, Fuad Oktay, the death toll in Turkey has risen to 284, the injured to 2,323 and the number of buildings that have either collapsed or been damaged has reached 1,710.

At least 237 people were killed and 639 others injured when a 7.7-magnitude earthquake centered in southern Turkey hit parts of northern Syria, a senior Syrian health official told state television. In Aleppo province, which suffered the hardest hit, there are many victims under the rubble of collapsed buildings. Hospitals are overwhelmed with wounded.

Gaziantep’te #deprem anı bir dükkanın güvenlik kamerasına yansıdı.pic.twitter.com/HotEVCDXn4

— EHA MEDYA (@eha_medya) February 6, 2023

The United States Seismological Institute (USGS) reported that the tremor was recorded at 04:17 (local time; 03:17 Greek time) and estimated the focal depth to be 17.9 kilometers. The epicenter was in Pazardzhik district, Kahramanmaras province (southeast), about 60 km from the Syrian border.

Today’s earthquake is the strongest recorded in Turkey since August 17, 1999, which killed at least 17,000 people, including about a thousand residents of Constantinople.

Unbelievable footage coming from Turkey as victims directly took a video stuck under rubble after a major earthquake hit the region tonight. pic.twitter.com/KYbnQScHA2

— CaucasusWarReport (@Caucasuswar) February 6, 2023

Prayers for Turkey , Syria , Lebanon and Jordan
.#Turkey #Syria #Lebanon #Turkish #earthquake pic.twitter.com/H6JAkBlGut

— UZAIR SHAHID (@UZAIR_SHAHID) February 6, 2023

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“We hear voices here under the wreckage. We believe that up to 200 people are trapped in the rubble”, said a member of a rescue team working in a damaged apartment building in Diyarbakır in front of the cameras of the Turkish private television network NTV.

The earthquake and several aftershocks that followed were felt as far away as Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Cyprus, AFP correspondents reported.

The main earthquake had a long duration, lasting almost a minute, according to a correspondent of the Reuters news agency.

WATCH: Daylight reveals massive destruction in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey pic.twitter.com/YZD1J4iYfc

— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) February 6, 2023

The level of destruction caused by the earthquake in Turkey makes it look like a war zone. This is utterly heartbreaking. Pray for Turkey and especially for the people trapped under the rubble. pic.twitter.com/PeqPXoNKlF

— KC (@kci2013) February 6, 2023