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Rescue teams in Turkey are continuing to search for people trapped under rubble after a strong earthquake hit the eastern Van region on Sunday.

Some 265 people died and 1,140 were injured in the 7.2 magnitude quake, according to Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin.

The city of Ercis was the worst-hit, with close to 1,000 buildings destroyed in the disaster area.

The death toll is expected to rise further.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has visited the area.

About 970 buildings have collapsed, his office said.

Some 2,400 rescue workers are involved in the relief effort, as are 680 medics, 12 rescue dogs, 108 ambulances - including seven air ambulances - it added.

Tens of thousands have been sleeping outside in freezing conditions.

Turkey is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because it sits on major geological fault lines.

Two earthquakes in 1999 with a magnitude of more than 7 killed almost 20,000 people in densely populated parts of the north-west of the country.

The earthquake struck at 13:41 (10:41 GMT) at a depth of 20km (12 miles), with its epicentre 16km north-east of Van in eastern Turkey, the US Geological Survey said.

It was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks, also centred north of Van, including two of magnitude 5.6 soon after the quake and one of 6.0 late on Sunday.

'Screams for help'

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay, who is co-ordinating the government's response in the earthquake zone, said tents were being assembled and food distributed.

Mr Erdogan visited the affected area by helicopter. He said that villages close to Van were the worst affected as most buildings there were made of clay bricks.

The prime minister thanked other countries for their offers of help, but said Turkey could cope with the disaster on its own.

Up to 80 buildings, including a dormitory, collapsed in the worst-hit city of Ercis, about 60km north of Van, while 10 fell in Van itself.

Its mayor, Zulfikar Arapoglu, appealed for help. "We need urgent aid, we need medics," he said.

Ambulances, soldiers and rescue teams rushed to the town.

Serious damage and casualties were also reported in the district of Celebibag, near Ercis.

"There are many people under the rubble," said the local mayor, Veysel Keser. "We can hear their screams for help. We need urgent help."

Turkish seismologist Polat Gulkan told the BBC that building regulations were often ignored in Turkey.

"The enforcement of the code provisions is not at the standard that we would like to see it," he said.

Power cuts

Residents of Van and Ercis have been spending the night huddled around camp fires in the open air, fearing more aftershocks.

Rescuers could be seen working by torchlight, using their bare hands and shovels.

The quake cut electricity and telephone lines and the authorities in some areas have cut gas to avoid the risk of fire.

The BBC's David O'Byrne in Istanbul said more search and rescue teams were being sent from other parts of the country.

Hakki Erskoy, from the Turkish Red Crescent, said aid teams from the north and east of Turkey were being sent to the earthquake-hit area.

He said camps were being set up to shelter people and blankets, and that food and water were being sent, along with mobile kitchens.

Military aircraft were being deployed to help with the rescue and relief efforts, Mr Erskoy told BBC World News.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15425268