The 31-year-old Ghana international, now playing his football with Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor, was said to be missing after team-mates and members of the club's technical staff had reportedly been pulled from rubble.
Atsu was part of the Magpies team wlhich won promotion back to the Premier League in 2017 after joining on loan for the season from Chelsea, and later completed a permanent move.
Atsu, who scored deep into stoppage time on Sunday to secure a 1-0 win over Kasimpasa, left St James' Park during the summer of 2021 after making 121 appearances for the club.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria during the early hours of Monday morning, followed by a second of 7.5.
Around 1,700 people are known to have died in the border region with rescue teams searching for survivors.
