Turkey-Syria earthquake: Images show scenes before and after disaster
The level of destruction caused by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey is strikingly clear in this series of before and after images.
The earthquake hit in the town of Pazarcik, Kahramanmaras province, in the early hours of Monday morning.
Residences, shops and places of worship collapsed as more earthquakes and aftershocks continued to rock the region.
Move the white bar left and right on the images below to see how badly places were affected.
Historic buildings such as the Roman-era Gaziantep Castle were badly damaged. It had previously been regarded as one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind in the country but now huge parts of the ancient structure have crumbled.
It is located in the city of Gaziantep which is only around 35 miles from the epicentre of the earthquake.
Hundreds killed and thousands injured – earthquake latest updates
Key infrastructre was also hit. Parts of the Hatay Antakya Academy Hospital near the Syrian border turned to rubble during the natural disaster.
Whole streets have been transformed into scenes of destruction.
Residential buildings and shops along this major road in Kahramanmaras were destroyed.
One modern hotel in Malatya collapsed while other buildings in the vicinty remained standing.
Nearly 3,000 people have died and thousands more have been injured across wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria, with fears the number of casulaties will continue to rise.
The yellow line highlights some of the worst affected areas in southern Turkey and northwest Syria.
The epicentre was registered in the Turkish town of Pazarcik, near the city of Gaziantep…
… but tremors were felt as far as Cairo, Egypt.
This image from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows more than 40 earthquakes have hit the area since the first seismic activity was registered in the early hours of this morning.
The larger the dot, the bigger the magnitude of the quake. Those in red happened most recently.
The quakes are close to the boundaries of the Earth’s tectonic plates, indicated by the red lines on the map.
Another map from the USGS shows the quakes took place in highly populated places, as represented by the grey areas.
Pictures from near the epicentre in the Kahramanmaras province show huge piles of rubble and a building split in two.
In the city of Sanliurfa, the moment a building collapsed was captured by a pedestrian.
Diyarbakir was further away from the source of the 7.8 magnitude quake but still saw significant destruction, with rescuers sorting through the rubble in an attempt to save any people trapped underneath.
Substantial damage was also seen over the border in Syria, as shown in this photo from Aleppo.
While Turkey is in one of the world’s most active areas for earthquakes, Monday’s seismic activity has resulted in what the country’s president has said is the worst disaster to hit the region in decades.
Rescue services have been digging through rubble, metal and concrete for survivors since the first earthquake struck.
Desperate relatives and friends of victims have been posting locations where extra help is needed to rescue those who are trapped underneath collapsed buildings.
Social media users have been trying to get help to areas where people are still trapped
Others commenting on social media in Turkish are speculating whether poor construction materials and practices have contributed to how many buildings have been destroyed during this disaster.
Syria’s White Helmets rescue group has been sharing footage of their attempts to rescue those buried under rubble across the border.
The group operates in rebel-controlled areas of north-western Syria, an area home to around four million people displaced from other parts of the country by civil war.
Many of the residents live in buildings already wrecked from past bombardments, with the White Helmets commenting that now hundreds of families are trapped in rubble.
Heavy cloud cover across the area can be seen in this satellite image from NASA Worldview
With thick cloud covering the region as seen in this satellite image, rescue efforts have also been hampered by poor weather conditions, including rain and snow on the ground in some areas. Heavy thunderstorms, severe winds and snow are forecast in the coming days.
Official offers of help from countries around the world, as well as support from charities and aid organisations, have been extended to both Turkey and Syria as their citizens grapple with this disaster.
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Storm Shadow cruise missiles made in the UK and donated to Ukraine have once again been used to strike targets inside Russia.
The long-range weapons – which cost roughly £2m each – have been used to devastating effect in the Black Sea, sinking or damaging several Russian ships, and now against a chemical plant.
Last year, Ukraine’s allies lifted restrictions on Storm Shadows and other long-range missiles, meaning Kyiv’s military can use them against targets across the border.
Follow latest: Storm Shadow missiles used in ‘massive’ attack on Russia
A Storm Shadow missile system. Pic: Gary Dawson/Shutterstock
What are Storm Shadow missiles?
Storm Shadows are cruise missiles developed by the UK and France in the 1990s.
Launched from aircraft, they have a range more than 155 miles, manufacturer MBDA says, and can travel at speeds exceeding 600mph.
The missiles can be used with high precision for deep strikes while evading detection, the manufacturer says.
They have been used by the RAF and French air force and in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya, and more recently have been used by Ukrainian forces.
What sets them apart from some other projectiles is they use terrain mapping to navigate to their target, rather than relying just on GPS, military analyst Sean Bell says.
A Tornado GR4 with Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Pic: Crown copyright
How have they been used in Ukraine?
Back in May 2023, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles – the first country to do so.
Since then they have been used by Kyiv’s defenders to strike Russian targets inside Ukraine and also inside Russia.
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While operational details of their use do not always emerge, it has been reported Storm Shadows have been used against targets including military headquarters and ships.
Storm Shadows can likely be operated entirely from within Ukraine, though probably with the assistance of intelligence gathered by Western surveillance planes over international waters.
A police officer has been injured after a night of violent protests outside an asylum hotel in Dublin – with six arrests made.
Bricks were thrown and fireworks were discharged outside the Citywest Hotel – with glass bottles used as missiles and a police van set on fire.
A Garda helicopter was also targeted with lasers, and the police service says some of those on the streets were seen carrying garden forks.
Pic: PA
Pic: PA
Commissioner Justin Kelly added: “This was obviously not a peaceful protest. The actions this evening can only be described as thuggery. This was a mob intent on violence.
“We will now begin the process of identifying those who committed crimes and we will bring those involved in this violence to justice.”
It is the second night of demonstrations after an alleged sexual assault in its vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.
Some of the crowd threw stones and other missiles at the public order officers as they moved the protesters back – and water cannon was deployed at the scene.
A line of officers was preventing the protesters from approaching the hotel.
Police officers block protesters outside the hotel. Pic: PA
‘Those involved will be brought to justice’
Ireland’s premier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, paid tribute to the officers who were on the frontline of the protests.
“There can be no justification for the vile abuse against them, or the attempted assaults and attacks on members of the force that will shock all right-thinking people,” he said.
Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said those involved in the violence will be brought to justice.
“The scenes of public disorder we have witnessed at Citywest must be condemned,” he said.
“People threw missiles at Gardai, threw fireworks at them and set a Garda vehicle on fire.
“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the Gardai.
“Those involved will be brought to justice.”
‘No excuse’ for violence
The minister said a man had been arrested and had appeared in court in relation to the alleged assault in the vicinity of the hotel.
He added: “While I am not in a position to comment any further on this criminal investigation, I have been advised that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area.”
He said attacks on officers would “not be tolerated”, adding: “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.
“There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed.”
The demonstration on Monday night passed without a significant incident.
It comes two years after anti-immigrant demonstrators triggered a major riot in the centre of Dublin after three young children were stabbed.
A police van has been set on fire and missiles have been thrown at officers as protesters gathered outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Dublin.
It is the second night of demonstrations outside the Citywest Hotel after an alleged sexual assault in its vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.
A large crowd has gathered in the area and members of the Garda’s public order unit have been deployed.
Footage from the scene showed a Garda vehicle on fire as well as several protesters displaying Irish flags.
Many protesters carried Republic of Ireland flags
Some of the crowd threw stones and other missiles at the public order officers as they moved the protesters back.
A Garda helicopter hovered overhead and a water cannon was deployed on the scene.
Ireland’s justice minister, Jim O’Callaghan, said those involved will be brought to justice.
“The scenes of public disorder we have witnessed at Citywest tonight must be condemned,” he said.
“People threw missiles at Gardai, threw fireworks at them and set a Garda vehicle on fire.
“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the Gardai.
“Those involved will be brought to justice.”
The minister said a man had been arrested and had appeared in court in relation to the alleged assault in the vicinity of the hotel.
He added: “While I am not in a position to comment any further on this criminal investigation, I have been advised that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area.
He said attacks on gardai will “not be tolerated”, adding: “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.
“There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed tonight.”
It was the second night of protest outside the hotel, which is being used as state accommodation for people seeking international protection. The demonstration on Monday night passed without a significant incident.
It comes two years after anti-immigrant demonstrators triggered a major riot in the centre of Dublin after three young children were stabbed.
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