Istanbul apartment block collapse shocks Turkey

Rescue workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed residential building in the Kartal district, Istanbul, Turkey, February 6, 2019 Image copyright Reuters

An eight-storey apartment block has collapsed in the Turkish city of Istanbul, killing one person, while other people were injured or are trapped beneath rubble.

Video from a residential area in the city's Kartal district shows rescuers at work around a mound of debris.

Reports suggest at least four people may be missing, and a number of cars were also buried in rubble.

The cause of the disaster on Wednesday afternoon was not immediately known.

A textile workshop on the building's lower floor was empty at the time, local official Zeki Dag told local media.

According to CNN Turk, the building collapsed at about 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT).

Image copyright Reuters

Firefighters, medics and police officers rushed to the scene, and at least one injured woman has been rescued.

As they searched the pile of rubble, rescuers occasionally appealed for quiet to listen for any sounds coming from underneath that might indicate trapped survivors.