Turkey is reeling after the country was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday morning, followed by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and a series of aftershocks.
Follow the latest news on the earthquake in Turkey
The death toll has risen to more than 24,000 in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.
As rescue efforts continue in the country, travellers who had plans to visit Turkey may be confused about what to do.
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Humanitarian aid relief packages provided by Saudi Arabia being unloaded at Aleppo International Airport in northern Syria. AFP -
An airline worker loads boxes filled with donations onto a Turkish Airlines aircraft at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia. AFP -
Syrian workers help to take the food supplied off the plane. Mahmoud Rida / The National -
Displaced people lineup to receive aid supplies at a makeshift camp, in Iskenderun city, southern Turkey. AP -
Belarusians collect humanitarian aid for earthquake survivors. AFP -
Volunteers of a local non-government organisation 'Pomozi. ba' help sort and pack donations, in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. AFP -
Hundreds of boxes with relief aid are gathered at the municipality of Thessaloniki, in Greece. AFP -
Nazli Goksoi helps sort donations at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC. AFP -
Men in Cairo prepare blankets and clothes to be donated to people in Turkey. Reuters -
Iraqi security forces with humanitarian aid from Red Crescent meant for the affected people in Syria, at a military airbase near Baghdad International Airport. AP -
South Korean firefighters gather before leaving for Turkey to help earthquake victims. AFP -
Algerian rescue teams arrive at Aleppo International Airport. AFP -
Humanitarian aid for earthquake victims at a collecting point in Berlin. EPA -
Umur Zamanoglu, a Turkish search and rescue team leader, outside Adana Airport. Reuters -
Humanitarian aid to be sent to Turkey at Al Udeid air base in Qatar. AFP -
Crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, including these firefighters from Pacoima, are joining a USAid mission to Turkey to assist with earthquake recovery efforts. EPA -
Equipment belonging to Los Angeles County Fire Department teams is ready for the USAid mission to Turkey. EPA -
At a military airbase near Baghdad International Airport, Iraqi security forces prepare Red Crescent shipments for Syria to support survivors of the earthquake. Reuters -
Ground crews in Baghdad load a Red Crescent cargo into a plane that will leave for the earthquake zone in northern Syria. Reuters -
Red Crescent shipments from Iraq are sent to Syria, where many earthquake survivors have lived through civil war in the past 11 years. Reuters -
Members of The Olive Branches humanitarian aid delegation of the Israel Defence Forces prepare to fly from Israel to Turkey to assist in earthquake-stricken south. Reuters -
The international earthquake response at work as relief supplies from Swiss Humanitarian Aid are loaded on a plane to earthquake-hit Turkey at Zurich Airport. EPA -
Members of International Search and Rescue Germany board a charter plane at Cologne-Bonn Airport on their way to help find survivors of the earthquake in Turkey. Reuters -
Relief supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria stand packed on Turmstrasse in the Moabit neighbourhood of Berlin. AP -
Turkish residents of Berlin, with one the world's largest communities outside of Turkey, collect bags and boxes with warm clothes and other goods for a Turkish nursing service. Reuters -
Polish firefighters at Rescue and Fire Fighting Unit No 9 in Lodz prepare to travel to Turkey. EPA -
In Otopeni near Bucharest, Romanian rescue workers prepare for operations in southern Turkey. EPA -
A Romanian rescue worker and search dog at a briefing before flying to southern Turkey to help local authorities in their rescue missions after the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. EPA
The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office updated its guidance for UK travellers, advising tourists to “avoid the immediate vicinity” of the incident, which took place in the city of Gaziantep.
It also advised travellers in Turkey to follow the guidance of the relevant authorities.
“There have been several strong aftershocks. You should avoid the immediate vicinity and follow the advice of the local authorities,” reads the FCO's advice.
Which areas of Turkey are affected?
Ten Turkish provinces have been most affected by the situation. These are:
- Adana
- Adiyaman
- Diyarbakir
- Gaziantep
- Hatay
- Kahramanmaras
- Kilis
- Malatya
- Osmaniye
- Sanliurfa
Gaziantep in the country's south-eastern Anatolia region was the site of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. One of the city's most famous landmarks — the ancient Gaziantep Castle — has been severely damaged.
In Malatya, a historic mosque and high-rise hotel collapsed, and in Diyarbakir — a city 300km from the epicentre — a shopping mall collapsed following the earthquake, reported The New York Times.
While south-eastern Turkey is well-known for its culinary tourism, it's not one of the country's main holiday destinations and lies hundreds of kilometres from more famous hotspots such as Istanbul and Antalya. February is also not peak tourism season for the region.
Popular holiday destinations in Turkey such as Cappadocia and the Aegean coast are unlikely to be heavily affected by the situation.
Do tourists need to be worried about aftershocks?
As tremors from the initial quake were felt as far away as Cyprus, Lebanon and Israel, more than 40 aftershocks were also reported.
Geological survey agencies said more could occur.
The UK foreign office has advised tourists to be aware of the risk of aftershocks in the coming days.
Have airlines cancelled flights to Turkey?
Most international airlines continue to operate flights to Turkey. Istanbul Airport — the country's main hub for international flights — is operating as normal.
Etihad Airways, Emirates and flydubai confirmed to The National that flights to Turkey from the UAE remain unaffected by the situation.
Turkish Airlines — the country’s national carrier — has cancelled a few operations including some flights to Samsun, Adiyaman and Siirt.
The airline is prioritising operations to help with search-and-rescue efforts.
In a statement shared with The National, the airline said it had “planned our operational priority to deliver the rescue teams and expert teams, aid materials, and necessary equipment to the region for now”.
Turkish Airlines's cargo planes across the country have been flying rescue and security forces, plus provisions to places where they are most needed.
Are airports in Turkey open?
Istanbul Airport is the main hub for most travellers arriving or departing Turkey. One of the world's largest air travel hubs, it remains open and operating as normal following the earthquakes.
Some domestic airports across Turkey suspended flights following the incident.
This includes Gaziantep Oguzeli International Airport, which has closed to all air traffic other than jets involved in search and rescue or medical efforts.
Severe runway damage at Hatay Airport — the hub for travellers heading to Antakya and Iskenderun — led to the suspension of commercial air traffic. However, airlines are once again able to use the air hub after it reopened following extensive works to repair the damage.
Adana Sakirpasa Airport in the southern province of Adana has also closed. Adana International Airport remains open.
Travellers who planned to fly to these destinations, or with connecting flights coming up via any of these airports should check with their airline for the most recent updates.
Tourism in Turkey
This year, Turkey is on track to be the fourth most-popular European destination for sun-seekers in summer.
Recent data from the World Travel & Tourism Council showed that flight bookings to Turkey for the year have already exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with travellers favouring destinations such as Istanbul and the beaches of Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman.
