The 7.8 magnitude quake struck the Turkish city of Gaziantep during the early hours of Monday morning (6 February) and was felt across the country and the region, including in Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel and neighbouring Syria.
Images shared by national media and news wires show building reduced to rubble and efforts to free those trapped. The BBC reports hundreds of buildings are understood to have collapsed as a result of the earthquake.
"A 7.8 earthquake hit Gaziantep and neighbouring provinces in the south-east of Turkey on 6 February 2023," read the updated Foreign Office travel advice. "There have been several strong aftershocks. You should avoid the immediate vicinity and follow the advice of the local authorities."
The FCDO later added nine other Turkish provinces – Hatay, Osmaniye, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Sanliurfa, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Adana and Malatya – had been affected.
"The Turkish government has announced its highest level of state emergency," said the FCDO. "You should avoid the south-east region of Turkey and follow the advice of the local authorities."
