Turkish authorities confirm 1,651 deaths, with another 968 reported in Syria, after powerful earthquakes bring thousands of buildings crashing down in both countries.    Initial magnitude 7.8 tremor in southeastern Turkey early on Monday was followed by magnitude 7.6 earthquake hours later amid several aftershocks.

    The death toll in Syria following Monday’s earthquake has increased to 968, according to government and rescue groups.

    The quake killed at least 538 people and left at least another 1,353 injured in government-controlled parts of Syria, including the provinces of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, the health ministry said.

    In rebel-held parts of the northwest of the country, at least 430 people were killed and more than 1,050 were injured, the White Helmets rescue group said, warning the toll could increase.

   Turkey’s health ministry says the death toll from Monday’s earthquake has risen to 1,651.

    At least 11,119 others were injured the quake, the ministry added.

    Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to offer his condolences and say Greece is ready to send help, according to his office.

    Erdogan thanked Mitsotakis for the support, the Greek prime minister’s office said in a statement.

    Biden says he has authorised an immediate response to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey.

    “Our teams are deploying quickly to begin to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

   

    The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) says its emergency teams are ready to be deployed to Turkey and Syria.

    “We are shocked by the devastating earthquake that hit Türkiye and Syria at the height of a harsh winter,” UNOCHA said on Twitter.

    It added that its “teams are assessing the damage” and are “ready to deploy”.