Syria quake kills over 1,600 people, injures thousands UPDATED

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Syria, which originated in the Turkish town of Kahramanmaras, has reached 1,602, with 3,649 people injured.

Search and rescue efforts are continuing in the areas of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartus, Anadolu reports.

According to the Syrian news agency SANA, 812 people have been killed and 1,449 injured in Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus. Widespread destruction is reported.

A large number of buildings have also been destroyed and damaged in opposition-controlled areas in northern Syria.

The Syrian Human Rights Organisation (SNHR) and the Syrian Civil Defence Directorate (White Helmets) report that in Idlib and the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations zone at least 790 people have been killed and over 2,200 wounded.

10:07

At least 1,356 people were killed and more than 3,419 injured in Syria as a result of a devastating earthquake with an epicentre in Turkish Kahramanmarash.

Strong tremors led to destruction in Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Latakia, Tartus and Raqqa, Anadolu reports, citing SANA news agency

Some 656 people were killed and 1,419 were injured in the districts of Aleppo, Hama, Tartus and Lazkiya provinces controlled by the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

It is reported that many buildings have been destroyed in areas controlled by the Syrian opposition.

According to rescuers from the Syrian Defence Directorate (White Helmets), at least 700 people were killed and more than 2,000 were injured in the Idlib de-escalation zone and in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch anti-terrorist operations zones.

Search and rescue operations are continuing.