In letter to Erdogan, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla react to earthquake in Turkey

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla have sent a message to the people of Turkey after a devastating earthquake killed hundreds of people on Monday.

Addressing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the the king wrote, "My wife and I have been most shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the devastating earthquakes in South East Türkiye. I can only begin to imagine the scale of suffering and loss as a result of these dreadful tragedies and I particularly wanted to convey our deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to the families of all those who have lost their loved ones."

He added, "Our thoughts and special prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this appalling natural disaster, whether through injury or the destruction of their property, and also with the emergency services and those assisting in the rescue efforts."

Meanwhile, rescuers in Turkey and Syria battled bitter cold Tuesday in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 7,300 people.