A 7.8-magnitude earthquake followed by a 7.5-magnitude earthquake killed hundreds and left many trapped as it toppled buildings in southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday.
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7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria within hours
The earthquake that hit Turkey was the country's largest disaster since 1939, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Residents joined rescuers to search for survivors in freezing conditions, with the death toll expected to rise as the level of destruction became clear from the initial powerful pre-dawn temblor.
The 7.8-magnitude quake has piled further misery on rebel-held areas in Syria's northwest, threatening a new humanitarian crisis exacerbated by winter and civil war.
Fear is escalating to an overall feeling of terror among those on the still-shaky ground in this city of 2 million, as rescue and recovery operations continue and people have limited access to housing, goods and services.
Photos from the quake zone show flattened buildings and heartbreaking loss.
