6.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Eastern Turkey... "At Least 18 Dead"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] On the 24th (local time), a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck eastern Turkey, resulting in at least 15 deaths.

According to the Associated Press citing local media, at least 18 people have died and more than 500 have been injured so far due to the earthquake. It is also reported that about 30 people are trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. The earthquake occurred approximately 750 km east of the capital Ankara, with a focal depth of 6.7 km.

Earlier, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Turkey (AFAD) reported that 13 people died in Elazig and 5 deaths occurred in the adjacent Malatya region. The total number of injured was counted at 553.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Turkey’s Kandilli Observatory, a geological activity monitoring agency, recorded the earthquake magnitude as 6.7 and 6.5 respectively.

Previously, in 1999, two major earthquakes struck the northwestern region of Turkey, causing approximately 18,000 deaths.