Magnitude-4.1 earthquake hits eastern Turkey

MUŞ

A 4.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the eastern Turkish city of Muş, according to the country’s disaster and emergency body.

On its website, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said the quake occurred at 11.47 a.m. local time at a depth of nine kilometers, with its epicenter below the Korkut district.

“After the 4.1 magnitude earthquake that took place in Korkut district, it was learned that there was no negative report as of now,” AFAD said in a statement.

Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute also announced the magnitude of the earthquake as 3.9 and its depth as 5 kilometers.

The tremor was also felt in nearby provinces including Diyarbakır, Siirt and Batman.

Turkey has a history of powerful earthquakes. More than 17,000 people were killed in August 1999 when a 7.6 magnitude quake struck the western city of İzmit, 90 kilometers southeast of Istanbul.

About 500,000 people were made homeless. In 2011 an earthquake struck the eastern city of Van and the town of Erciş, some 100 km to the north, killing at least 523 people.

A 6.8-magnitude quake shook Elazığ province and other neighboring provinces on Jan. 24, killing 41 people and injuring 1,600 others, according to Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) data.