A powerful earthquake strikes Turkey and Syria

A powerful earthquake hit southern Turkey near the Syrian border early Monday, followed by aftershocks, and was felt in Syria and as far as Lebanon, Cyprus, Iraq and Egypt.

The 7.8 magnitude quake's epicenter was located near the cities of Nurdağı and Gaziantep, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Images shared on social media from southern Turkey and northeast Syria show panicked scenes of families running in the rain or snow amid the debris of collapsed buildings. In Lebanon, the quake was powerful enough to make whole buildings sway.

The earthquake also struck parts of northeast Syria, causing multiple buildings to collapse. Footage from local journalists showed families running through the rain and the darkness in panic amid the debris of devastated homes.

Raed Saleh, the head of the White Helmets civil defense group which operates in northern Syria, wrote on Twitter that people are "trapped under the rubble" and appealed to residents of the devastated areas to remain outside in case of aftershocks.

"Your safety is important," he wrote. "Please do not return to the homes now because of the risks of building collapse as a result of the earthquake."

The earthquake in northern Syria hit parts of the country that have been already been devastated by more than a decade of civil war. In Idlib and Aleppo provinces, basic infrastructure has already been badly damaged by the war. The area is also home to millions of Syrians who fled the fighting in other parts of the country. Many live in refugee camps or basic tented settlements established amid the olive groves that run along the border with Turkey.

Jomah al Qassim, a Syrian living across the border in the Turkish town of Gazientep works for Bahar Organisation, a charity that operates in Syria and in Iraq.

"According to our team in Syria, there are many casualties and damage to the buildings. Many are reported dead," he told NPR. "This is the last thing people need in Syria. There has been crisis after crisis. People are already exhausted."

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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