Powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 strikes Turkey, many casualties feared

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck southern Turkey on early Monday, followed by another strong temblor of magnitude 6.7, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

According to USGS data, the initial quake was centered 26 km east of Nurdagi city in the Gaziantep province, at a depth of 17.9 km. The second one struck minutes later in central Turkey, at a depth of 9.9 km.

While there was no official word on the extent of damage and human toll, posts and videos on social media indicated there were multiple casualties.

BNO News reported that multiple buildings had collapsed due to the quake and many people were feared trapped in the wreckage.

Videos shared on Twitter, whose authenticity India Today could not independently verify, showed buildings reduced to rubble and people screaming and running for dear life.

The tremors were reportedly felt as far away as Syria and Yemen.