Turkey's president says it's the worst disaster since 1939
Image via Pexels.comMore than 14-hundred people have died and thousands of others are injured after a double disaster in South Turkey and Northern Syria.
That number could rise as rescue workers search through rubble in cities and towns across the region.
The first earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 hit the region while people were sleeping at around 4.17am.
A second earthquake of magnitude 7.5 has also been reported in southeast Turkey.
Turkey's president Erdogan says the earthquake which has struck the region is the worst disaster since 1939.
He also says almost 3-thousand buildings have collapsed in the country.
Syrian state media says the 7.8 magnitude tremor has reached the capital, Damascus.
The tremor was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.
A group of Cork secondary school students travelling to Turkey are said to be safe following the quake.
Staff and students of Coláiste Éamann Rís were travelling to their partner school.
School Principal Aaron Wolfe is in Istanbul with his students:
"We're just still a bit stunned. We checked the price of flying home but it was too expensive, so at the moment we just decided to book into another hotel", Mr Wolfe explained
"We didn't want to be wasting Government time when we're not directly affected."
He added: "It's horrific to see a teenager send a text to say their town has disappeared."
