Death toll rises as huge quake rocks Turkey and Syria

A major earthquake has struck south-eastern Turkey, near the city of Gaziantep. The quake measured 7.8 magnitude on the US Geological Survey and occurred around a region of instability called the East Anatolian fault, which runs close to the border. A rescue operation is underway across much of southern Turkey and northern Syria following amid concerns that 1,000 people have died. The Today programme’s Mishal Husain spoke to Ismail Al Abdullah, from the White Helmets civil defence organisation, and Ibrahim Ozer Director General for Disaster Management at the Turkish Red Crescent. (Image, Turkey earthquake, Credit Deniz Tekin EPA EFEREXShutterstock)