According to reports in Turkey Atsu, who now plays for Hatayspor in Turkey, is among those trapped under rubble

Former Everton footballer Christian Atsu is reported to have been trapped under rubble in Turkey after a powerful earthquake.

More than 1,300 people have died after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria. Hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers searched the wreckage in cities and towns across the region.

According to Turkish news outlet Star, Atsu, who plays for Hatayspor in the Hatay Province, is among those trapped under rubble. They said: “In the 7.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş, two football players and two people from the technical team were rescued….

“Hatayspor Sporting Director Taner Savut and Christian Atsu are trapped under the rubble. Search and rescue teams are looking for two names.”

In August 2014, Ghana international Atsu joined Everton on loan from Chelsea. He made 13 appearances in all competitions. He joined Hatayspor in 2022.

In Turkey, rescue workers and residents in multiple cities searched for survivors, working through tangles of metal and giant piles of concrete. The quake, felt as far away as Cairo, was centred north of Gaziantep, a Turkish provincial capital.

Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. The US Geological Survey measured Monday’s quake at 7.8.