Watch: Buildings collapse as multiple strong earthquake hits Turkey, Syria

A Massive 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake has struck Central Turkey within the last hour, Severe Damage and multiple Casualties are being reported across the Region. pic.twitter.com/qILgKNAHMK

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 6, 2023

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.

Multiple apartment buildings have collapsed after a powerful earthquake in southern Turkey pic.twitter.com/wydrBj94RL

— BNO News (@BNONews) February 6, 2023

WATCH: Building collapses during earthquake in Diyarbakir, Turkey pic.twitter.com/GfQzglgDGK

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

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that there were at least 6 aftershocks. He urged people not to enter damaged buildings due to the risks and leave the roads clear for emergency vehicles. “Our priority is to bring out people trapped under ruined buildings and to transfer them to hospitals,” he said.

A video from the CCTV footage of a store near the city of Gaziantep reportedly captured the powerful earthquake that lasted for about 90 seconds.

MORE: Duration of Syria/Turkey #earthquake indicated by this reported video from Gaziantep of the 90 seconds+ 7.8 quake 22km away from the epicenter. pic.twitter.com/eym1zwb2hS

— Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) February 6, 2023

The Syrian state media reported that a large number of building collapsed in Aleppo and Hama, while in northwest Syria, the opposition’s Syrian Civil Defence described the situation in the rebel-held region as “disastrous” adding that entire buildings have collapsed and people are trapped under the rubble.

Northwestern #Syria — #Idlib & #Aleppo in particular — have suffered 12yrs of brutal conflict. More than 65% of the basic infrastructure of the area is destroyed or heavily damaged.

Tonight’s earthquake couldn’t have hit a more vulnerable region.

An absolute disaster. https://t.co/UQXzDSSd6i

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) February 6, 2023

According to an AP report, in Damascus, buildings shook and many people went down to the streets in fear. The quake jolted residents in Lebanon from beds, shaking buildings for about 40 seconds. Many residents of Beirut left their homes and took to the streets or drove in their cars away from buildings.

Turkey sits in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. More than 18,000 people were killed after a powerful earthquake hit northwest Turkey in 1999.