Casualties, buildings toppled in strong earthquake in Aegean Sea

30-10-2020
Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Seventeen people were killed in Turkey and more than 700 injured in a strong earthquake in the Aegean Sea that toppled buildings and flooded streets in Turkey’s Izmir city, according to the country's disaster management agency.

Two people were also killed on the Greek island of Samos when a wall collapsed after the earthquake, AFP reported.

The 6.6 magnitude quake hit at 2:51 pm local time on Friday, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority. The United States Geological Survey said earthquake measured 7.0. Friday evening, a second earthquake, magnitude 5.1, hit 12.4 miles off the Turkish coast near Kusadasi, south of Izmir, Anadolu Agency reported

Nearly 20 buildings collapsed in the first quake, Izmir Mayor Tunc Soyer told CNN Turk. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu tweeted that six buildings had collapsed and there were cracks in buildings in six provinces.  

Dozens of people have been rescued from destroyed buildings in Izmir, Anadolu Agency reported.  

Water levels rose and flooded streets in the coastal city of Izmir, carrying debris, in video published by Anadolu.  

The jolt sent people running into the streets in Izmir and eastern Greek islands. It was felt in Istanbul, Athens, and Bulgaria. 
 

Updated at 11:30 pm

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