Magnitude-5.6 earthquake hits eastern Turkey

ANKARA

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake jolted eastern Bingöl province on June 15, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said.

The agency said that the quake struck off the Karlıova district at 9.51 a.m. local time (0651 GMT).

This is the second earthquake to hit the area within 24 hours after at least one person was killed and 18 others injured on June 14 amid 5.7-magnitude tremors in the same district. The first quake struck Karlıova at 5.24 p.m. local time (1424GMT).

During the first quake, In the village of Kaynarpınar, two observation towers belonging to the police station collapsed and three village guards were injured, the Bingol Governorate said.

A total of seven people, including a village guard, were rescued from the wreckage while efforts were ongoing to save three people, including a village guard, under debris, the governor’s office added.

It later confirmed in a statement that the village guard who was trapped under the wreckage was killed in Kaynarpinar.

Also, two aftershocks have been recorded with a magnitude of 4.6 at 5.34 p.m. local time (1434GMT) and magnitude 4.7 at 6.09 p.m. local time (1509GMT) in Karlıova.

Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said rescue teams were sent to the region.

Vice President Fuat Oktay, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Kurum arrived in the province to supervise the relief efforts.

Oktay in a statement said damage assessments would be completed in three days.

He said the situation could be easily overcome and that Elmali was among the villages most affected by the earthquake.

Oktay stated that several homes, schools, animal shelters, public housing units, and a police station were heavily damaged and some were demolished.

He said all of the country’s aid agencies were currently at the scene, including the Turkish Red Crescent and Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

Oktay said tents and warm food were being distributed to residents.

More than 1,300 tents were delivered to the region and officials say everything is under control in the affected villages and towns.

It was later confirmed that the village guard who was trapped under the wreckage was martyred in Kaynarpinar.

The Interior Ministry said 26 vehicles and 109 health and rescue personnel were sent to the region.

Two military aircraft are on alert if any further help is needed, said the statement.

Tremors were also felt in neighboring provinces, including Erzurum, Trabzon, Erzincan, Kars, Batman, Diyarbakır, Siirt, Mardin, Elazığ and Malatya.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called earthquake victims early on June 15 and wished them a speedy recovery.

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 (60 miles) 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.