More than 1,500 people have been killed and more than 3,500 injured in Syria as a result of the earthquake, figures are set to rise, Mads Brinch Hansen, head of the International Federation of the Red Cross delegation to Syria, told a UN briefing.

"According to the latest figures, 175 buildings collapsed in Aleppo, Latakia and Hama. 1,509 people were killed and 3,548 were wounded. In Hama and Latakia alone, hundreds of people are still missing. That number is expected to rise sharply over the next 24 hours and beyond," he said.

He added that current estimates are that at least 4,000 families have lost their homes and 50,000 families need immediate support.