Turkey has declined any foreign aid thus far.

A Turkish foreign ministry official explained Turkey had received offers of aid from dozens of countries. The government has declined them all.

1,275 rescue teams from 38 provinces have joined the search for survivors. The Red Crescent has set up shelters to house the displaced, according to the Washington Post. 

Relations between the former strategic allies have been strained since 2010 when Israeli soldiers boarded a Turkish flotilla bound for the Gaza strip, killing nine. Israeli officials say the offer of aid still stands. 

At least 88 people have died as buildings collapsed in the shaking. Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets. Many began digging for survivors with shovels and bare hands. 

Casualties are reportedly very high in and around Ercis, a town near the Iranian border,  the BBC said. 

Prime Minister Erdogan flew over the worst-hit areas to survey the damage, Bloomberg reports. This is Turkey's worst earthquake since 1999 when several 7-magnitude quakes claimed 20,000 lives. Officials fear the death toll from the current quake may be close to 1,000.

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