Buildings destroyed as powerful earthquake rattles western Turkey
Buildings are destroyed as powerful 6-magnitude earthquake rattles western Turkey sending frightened residents running into the streets
- Quake struck five miles underground and rattled the southwestern city of Denizli
- No initial reports of casualties from magnitude 6.0 tremors, city mayor has said
- Earthquake happened just over 100 miles from the tourist hotspot Marmaris
An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6.0 has hit western Turkey, damaging homes and causing some injuries.
The quake was centred on the town of Bozkurt, in Denizli province, which lies just over 100 miles from tourist hotspot Marmaris.
Scores of buildings are said to have been damaged and there are reports of people running into the streets in panic.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 and struck at 2.25pm local time.
The damage at the district governorate and municipality buildings after a 6 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey’s southwestern Denizli province today
The Istanbul-based Kandilli seismology centre said the quake was less powerful, measuring it at 5.7.
Bozkurt’s mayor, Birsen Celik, told NTV television that the quake knocked down two houses in the town and residents escaped with slight injuries. Several other homes were damaged with cracked walls.
People ran out into the streets in panic, she said, adding that residents were being urged not to return to damaged homes.
Scores of houses were also damaged in the nearby town of Tutluca, but no one was hurt there, according to its mayor, Hudai Karasahin.
The quake also caused the minaret of a mosque to topple in the village of Agdan.
The tremor was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Antalya, Mugla, Isparta and Burdur.
Turkey lies on major faultlines and has suffered several quakes in the west and southwest of magnitude 5 and above since the start of the year.
The country is about to mark 20 years since the devastating twin quakes in 1999, both over magnitude-7, that hit a highly populated zone in the northwest, leaving some 20,000 dead.
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