Media reports say the total estimated death toll for the Turkiye-Syria earthquake has exceeded 1,2000.

The BBC says they have just heard from Turkish President Recep Erdogan, who said that at least 912 people had died in Turkey following early Monday morning's earthquake.

Erdogan reportedly also said that at least 5,383 people had been wounded in Turkiye.

The latest estimate the BBC has for Syria, which comes from the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, is reportedly 320.  Dozens more were reportedly injured in Syria.

The earthquake hit near the border between the two countries.

Media reports have said a powerful earthquake struck the south-eastern part of Turkiye, near the Syrian border, on February 6 at 4:17 am local time (1:17 GMT). 

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at a depth of 17.9 kilometers near the city of Gaziantep.

The Syrian health ministry reportedly said people had died in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus.

Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble.

CNN says Monday’s quake is believed to be the strongest to hit Turkiye since 1939, when an earthquake of the same magnitude killed 30,000 people, according to the USGS.  Earthquakes of this magnitude are rare, with fewer than five occurring each year on average, anywhere in the world.  Seven quakes with magnitude 7.0 or greater have struck Turkiye in the past 25 years – but Monday’s is the most powerful.