Devastation in southeastern Turkey, in the aftermath of a 6.6 magnitude quake that struck on Sunday.
The earthquake hit not far from the Turkish border with Iran at 10:41 local time, at a depth of about three miles.
Initial Istanbul-based research institute estimates predict that up to 1,000 people are dead after buildings collapsed in the town of Van.
Meanwhile, Turkish state media reports that at least 50 people have been injured.
Many of the victims have been taken to nearby hospitals.
As aftershocks continue, local media are reporting that telephone and electricity lines have been cut.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was thought to be en route to Van to survey the damage.
Major geological fault lines cross Turkey, and small earthquakes are a near daily occurrence.
Two large quakes in 1999 killed more than 20,000 people in the northwest of the country.
And just last year two people were killed and 79 injured when an earthquake shook the same region.
Travis Brecher, Reuters
