ANKARA: Rescue operation is underway across much of southern Turkey and northern Syria following a huge earthquake that has killed at least 3,500 people, BBC reported.

The 7.8 magnitude quake struck near Gaziantep in the early hours of Monday while people were asleep.

A 7.5-magnitude tremor then hit at around 13:30 local time (10:30 GMT), which officials said was “not an aftershock”, according to the report.

Turkey’s disaster agency says more than 2,300 people were killed in Turkey alone after the first quake, and more than 14,000 were injured.

Meanwhile, more than 1,400 people are reported to have died in Syria.

Rescuers are racing to save people trapped beneath the rubble after thousands of buildings collapsed in both countries.

World leaders have pledged to send aid after Turkey issued an international appeal for help.

(Inputs from BBC)