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.
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.
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Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
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A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
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