Earthquakes in Turkey, Syria: Over 4,000 people killed

Sanliurfa [Turkey]: The death toll in Turkey and in neighbouring Syria following powerful earthquakes on Monday rose to over 4,000, the Washington Post reported. Turkey and Syria were hit by three consecutive devastating earthquakes of magnitude 7.8, 7.6 and 6.0 on Monday, reported Washington Post.

 The earthquake -- felt as far away as Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Egypt -- occurred in Kahramanmaras province, north of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border.

Officials and agencies confirmed that at least 4,372 deaths have been confirmed in Turkey and Syria and according to the World Health Organisaton (WHO) the toll could surpass 20,000.

Rescue efforts are ongoing, and the number of people killed, injured and displaced probably will climb, reported Washington Post.

The initial quake of 7.8-magnitude was followed by dozens of powerful aftershocks, including one recorded at 7.5 magnitudes in the same fault zone of south-central Turkey on Monday afternoon. Most of the damage is in southern Turkey and northern and central Syria. It is the strongest earthquake to hit Turkey in more than 80 years.

Thousands of emergency responders have been searching for people amid the rubble of collapsed buildings, and medical teams have been tending to the injured. 

(With ANI inputs)