Turkey Death Toll Hits 279, Hopes of Survivors Fade

Rescuers scrambled on Monday to find survivors of an earthquake that killed at least 272 people in Turkey as residents readied to spend a second night outside in the freezing cold. EPA/BGNES

At least 279 people are now known to have died and some 1,300 have been injured after the 7.2-magnitude deadly earthquake, which hit eastern Turkey on Sunday.

Turkish officials have warned that the death toll is expected to rise further.

Officials said 12,000 more tents would be delivered to the cities of Ercis and Van and also to nearby villages.

Rescue teams with sniffer dogs continued through the night to search for survivors under the rubble of hundreds of collapsed buildings.

Cranes and other heavy equipment have been lifting slabs of concrete, and many residents have been joining in the rescue effort, digging with shovels.

But hopes of finding more survivors are fading, with no-one being pulled alive in the last seven to eight hours, BBC reported.

In one building, BBC correspondent adds, there are fears that up to 50 are missing - buried under the rubble.

Ankara has been accused of failing to help some of the most needy, who spent the second night in freezing conditions without heating and tents.