The alert comes hours after a disastrous earthquake struck T�rkiye and Syria

The Italian authorities have warned that the country's coast could face tsunami waves triggered by a powerful earthquake that claimed hundreds of lives in Türkiye and neighboring Syria earlier this morning.

In a statement on Monday, Italy's Department of the Civil Protection said the notice is based on data processed by the Tsunami Alert Center. "It is recommended to move away from the coastal areas, to reach the higher nearby area and to follow the indications of the local authorities."

The department warned that the "alert indicates the possibility of a real danger to people near the coast," especially in the areas which are not very high, or even below the sea level, adding: "Even a wave of only 0.5 meters high can generate dangerous floods and very strong currents."

A series of earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.4 hit central Türkiye shortly after 4am Monday morning. According to Türkiye's vice president, Fuat Oktay, the disaster has claimed the lives of at least 284 people, wounding another 2,323, with 1,710 buildings destroyed.

In Syria, according to the country's Health Ministry, the earthquake killed at least 237 people, with 639 injured.

(RT.com)