Death toll rises to 284 after magnitude 7.4 earthquake rocks southeastern Turkey

At least 284 people died Monday in Turkey when a major 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the southeast of the country, local officials said.

Officials said 284 people died and 2323 injured in the province of Malatya, in Şanlıurfa, Osmaniye, and Diyarbakır, although the toll threatened to climb much higher because of the heavy damage.

According to the country's disaster agency, the strong earthquake originated in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş.