Devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria kills thousands

Two powerful earthquakes have struck south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria. The first, which hit at night near Gaziantep, had a magnitude of 7.8; the second, during the day, was about 7.5.

Thousands of buildings have been destroyed in the provinces of Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep, Adıyaman and Malatya, as well as in Syria's Aleppo and Idlib. According to the authorities of both countries, the death toll has already exceeded several thousand and continues to rise.

Armenia offered condolences and sent a team of rescuers from its Emergency Ministry to Turkey. Aid was also sent to Syria, where areas home to Aleppo's Armenian community were affected.

The earthquake is one of the deadliest in the region in the past century. Rescue operations are complicated by cold weather and aftershocks.