Strong quake strikes Turkey; 4 dead

Tremor of up to 7.0 magnitude felt; hundreds injured

Istanbul, October 30

A strong earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on Friday and was felt in both Greece and Turkey, where four people were killed as buildings collapsed in the coastal province of Izmir.

People poured onto streets in panic in Izmir city, witnesses said, after the quake struck with a magnitude of up to 7.0. The tremor could be felt as far away as in Istanbul and on Greek islands, where officials said eight people suffered light injuries on the island of Samos.

High tidal waves were seen in both countries and led to flooding on parts of the Izmir coast. Turkish state media quoted the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) as saying four people died, one due to drowning, while 120 people were injured.

There were various reports of collapsed buildings with people stuck in the rubble in some of districts of Izmir and partial damage to property in several other provinces where the quake was felt, Turkish officials said. Izmir mayor Tunc Soyer said around 20 buildings had collapsed in the province.

Izmir’s governor said 70 people had been rescued from under the rubble. Ilke Cide, a doctoral student who was in Izmir’s Guzelbahce region during the earthquake, said he went inland after waters rose after the earthquake.

“I am very used to earthquakes… so I didn’t take it very seriously at first but this time it was really scary,” he said, adding the earthquake had lasted for at least 25-30 seconds. Crisscrossed by major fault lines, Turkey is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. — Reuters