Sydney man Can Pahali has been confirmed as the first Australian killed in Türkiye's devastating earthquake, with his family travelling to the country to try and recover his body.

Two earthquakes devastated areas of central and southern Türkiye, into nearby Syria on Monday.

The catastrophic magnitude-7.8 earthquake has seen a combined reported death toll for both countries — the world's deadliest earthquake in more than a decade — of more than 15,000, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Mr Pahali was visiting his sister and family in Antakya in the country's south near the Syrian border. 

His nephew, Ilyas Pahali, said he flew to Türkiye when he hadn't heard back about his uncle and family's safety. 

"I decided to book my flight to see if I could do anything, I arrived on Wednesday," he said. 

Ilyas Pahali, currently in Adana, in southern Türkiye, said Antakya had closed off its borders and he couldn't get there, but his family told him of his uncle's death. 

"My cousin he actually got in via ambulance, he had to pay somebody to get through the border," he said. 

"I have to figure out how I'm going to cross today ... so I can go and find my uncle's body."

Mr Pahali's niece, Katherine, said "a piece of my heart has passed away".

"My brother couldn't get there fast enough."

Ilyas Pahali said his aunt, staying in the same house, had managed to survive the quake. 

"(My aunt), she somehow managed to run towards the kitchen where that section of the building was standing.

"The rest of the house has collapsed, but she's been thrown out of the kitchen.

"We need to go and find (my uncle's body), it's been three days, it's minus temperatures."

Ilyas Pahali said his uncle used to live in Glebe in inner Sydney but moved in with him during the COVID pandemic "so he wouldn't be alone".

"He's like the centre of our entire family, he could tell you anything and everything about every single family member.

"He was an amazing, amazing human."

The WHO has warned it expects the number of fatalities to rise significantly, with thousands trapped under buildings and cold weather hampering rescue efforts. 

Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan today admitted there were problems with his government's initial response to the earthquakes that devastated his nation's south.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was informed of the death during Question Time.

"I cannot speak further on this until the appropriate steps have taken place," he said.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to provide consular assistance to Australians unaccounted for whom, tragically there are a number.

"Our thoughts are with all the loved ones who have family in Türkiye, Syria and the region, and our hope is that good news presents itself by the time we come back to the chamber next week."

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