One of the worst earthquakes to strike the area in at least a century struck early on Monday, with a 7.8 magnitude, killing more than 300 people in Turkey and Syria.
As rescuers and locals desperately searched for survivors amid the rubble of collapsed buildings in cities on both sides of the border, hundreds were hurt, and the number was expected to grow.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 04:17 local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of around 17.9 kilometers (11 miles), and 15 minutes later, a 6.7-magnitude aftershock occurred.