Strong earthquake hits Turkey, killing five people – and felt elsewhere in the Middle East | World News

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake has shaken southern Turkey, killing five people, authorities said.

The epicenter of the quake was about 33 kilometers (20 mi) from Gaziantep at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 mi), according to reports.

Several buildings were destroyed as people gathered outside on the snowy streets, according to images on state broadcaster TRT.

The earthquake was also felt in Syria and Lebanon.

Syrian state media reported that several buildings had collapsed in the northern city of Aleppo and the central city of Hama.

In Beirut and Damascus, there were reports of buildings shaking and people gathering in the streets in fear.

Turkey lies on major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.