Turkish interior minister on earthquake

Meanwhile, Turkish interior minister Suleyman Soylu called it a "devastating earthquake".   Rescue workers and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border with Turkiye and Syria.

The earthquake came as the Middle East is experiencing a snowstorm that is expected to continue until Thursday. Turkiyesits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.