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Earthquake kills 640 people in Turkey and Syria (Photos below)
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria in the wee hours of Monday, February 6, killing at least 640 people as at press time.
It was learnt that hundreds of buildings were destroyed in the earthquake, and hundreds of people are still trapped under the rubble.
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stated on Twitter that search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the earthquake-affected areas.
“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” he wrote.
According to Turkish officials, the death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers search the wreckage in cities and towns throughout the region.
One resident said three buildings near his home in Adana, Turkey, collapsed in the earthquake.
One survivor was heard calling out from beneath the rubble that he doesn’t have strength anymore as rescue workers tried to reach him, said journalism student, Muhammet Fatih Yavus.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management agency said at least 284 people were killed in seven Turkish provinces, while 440 people were injured.
The death toll in government-held areas in Syria has climbed to 237 with more than 630 injured, according to Syrian state media.
At least 120 people were killed in rebel-held areas, according to opposition group, White Helmets.
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