Some 2,386 people were injured in Friday's massive tremor that registered 7.2 on the open-ended Richter scale, according to a government crisis center communique cited by the Anatolia news agency.

More than 700 buildings were destroyed. More than 60 hours after the quake, the chances of finding people alive under the rubble was diminishing fast, search and rescue workers said, as freezing temperatures put further pressure on their efforts.

Doctors warned that hypothermia would set in more quickly for people in shock and that those trapped under the rubble could not be expected to survive more than three days.

The quake's epicenter was in the city of Duzce, where 350 buildings collapsed. The village of Kaynasli, 15 kilometres east of Duzce, was alsodevastated with 301 buildings destroyed. Survivors spent a third night sleeping in the open air in freezing temperatures, often without even a tent.

Authorities in Duzce said they had some 3,500 tents to house up to 10,000 people, while prefabricated accommodation was available for up to 5,000 more. The previous official toll from the quake which struck at 5 pm GMT Friday had put the number of dead at less than 400.