Earthquake leaves damage to archaeological sites in Syria

Dramatic images show the destruction in Turkey and Syria 1:58

(CNN) --

Several archaeological sites in Syria suffered damage after the strong earthquake that rocked the region on Monday morning, according to the Syrian General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM).

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The 13th-century Citadel of Aleppo "suffered minor to moderate damage in which parts of the Ottoman mill fell, (there is) cracking and parts of the northeast defensive fences fell. Large parts of the dome of the lighthouse of the Ayubi Mosque, the entrances to the castle and parts of the stone were damaged, including the entrance of the royal defense tower, and the facade of the Ottoman refuge," the DGAM said in a Facebook post.

The ancient citadel of Aleppo was damaged after the earthquake on Monday.

(Credit: -/AFP via Getty Images)

Damage to the citadel of Aleppo after the earthquake.

(Credit: -/AFP via Getty Images)

Damage to the citadel of Aleppo after the earthquake.

(Credit: -/AFP via Getty Images)

The ancient Syrian city of Aleppo, in the northwest of the country, was badly damaged in the ongoing civil war, but after reconstruction works it reopened in 2018. The DGAM says that the artifacts inside the Aleppo National Museum were damaged in the earthquake this Monday.

Syrian rescue teams search for victims and survivors among the rubble of a collapsed building in the city of Aleppo.

(Credit: LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

The DGAM also reported damage to historic buildings and mosques in Syria's west-central Hama governorate, including cracks in the structure and collapsed walls at the Imam Ismail Mosque and Shmemis Castle.

Al-Marqab Castle, a Crusader stronghold near Baniyas in northwestern Syria, also suffered damage, including a block from one of its circular towers collapsing.

"The tremor also caused the fall of the rock cliff in the vicinity of the Qadous castle and the collapse of some residential buildings located in the castle grounds," the DGAM said.

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Experts are still studying the full extent of the damage to historic sites and surrounding historic buildings and neighborhoods.

The DGAM affirms that it has not received "precise information" about the damage in the city of Homs.

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