A rescue operation is under way across southern Turkey and northern Syria following a huge earthquake that claimed more than 4,300 lives.

The 7.8 magnitude ricter scale of earthquake struck near Gaziantep in the early hours of Monday while people were asleep. A 7.5-magnitude tremor then hit at around 13:30 local time (10:30 GMT), which officials said was “not an aftershock”.

The country’s disaster agency said more than 2,900 people were killed in Turkey alone after the first quake, and more than 15,000 persons sustained injuries. In the mean time more than 1,400 people are reported to have died in Syria.

Rescuers are rushing to save people trapped beneath the rubble after thousands of buildings collapsed in both countries. Countries including the US and South Korea are sending aid including various relief measures, health staff and volunteers were sent particularly to the Hatay province. After Turkey issued an international appeal for help. Istanbul sends 13,000 rescue personnel to quake zone and dispatched about 13,000 rescue personnel to the affected areas.