A devastating earthquake in Turkey occurred on February 6 near the city of Gaziantep.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake was the most powerful in Turkey in more than 80 years, and it also affected Syria.

Shocks were felt even in Cyprus, Egypt and Lebanon.

The natural disaster claimed the lives of at least 1,400 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

Photo: Associated Press

Photo: Associated Press

The first powerful aftershock occurred at night, many people were sleeping in their beds and simply did not have time to leave their homes.

During the day, tremors with a magnitude of more than 7 points were also felt in other cities of Turkey.

Multi-storey buildings were assembled like cards.

Turkish authorities rushed rescue teams and planes to the affected area, while declaring a "level 4 alert" requiring international assistance.

Turkey's military has set up an air corridor to allow medical and rescue teams to reach quake-hit areas.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi expressed his condolences to the Turkish people and offered help in overcoming the consequences of the natural disaster. 

"I express my condolences to President Erdoğan, the Turkish people and the families of the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and I wish a speedy recovery to all the victims. We support the people of Turkey in this difficult time. We are ready to provide the necessary assistance to overcome the consequences of the disaster," the message reads.

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