Southeast Turkey shaken by 5.0 magnitude quake

ISTANBUL-The Associated Press

Turkey’s disaster authority and the U.S. Geological Survey say a 5.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Siirt in southeastern Turkey.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, or AFAD, said on Dec. 3 there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake that hit at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles) at 8:45 a.m. (0545 GMT).

Turkey is crisscrossed by fault lines and was hit by two strong tremors this year - one that hit the western port city of Izmir last month, killing 117 people, and another in Elazığ province, killing 41 people.

At least 17,000 people died in a powerful earthquake in northwest Turkey in 1999.