Turkey hit by 5.5 magnitude earthquake

File photo: Rescue operations take place on a site after an earthquake struck the Aegean Sea, in the coastal province of Izmir, Turkey, November 1, 2020. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

File photo: Rescue operations take place on a site after an earthquake struck the Aegean Sea, in the coastal province of Izmir, Turkey, November 1, 2020. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Published Dec 27, 2020

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An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said, while the interior minister said there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 15.95km (9.91 miles), AFAD said, adding that the epicentre of the quake was the Elazig province, which had been struck by a 6.8 quake in January, which killed 39 people.

"There is nothing negative so far. All our teams continue their examinations on the ground," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter.

Turkish media said the earthquake was also felt in Malatya, Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa provinces.

The USGS said the quake was registered in the Sivrice district in Elazig province and struck at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Assessment of possible damage is currently underway.

Turkey's topography is seismically active and is prone to tremors. A magnitude 6.9 quake in October left more than 110 people killed and caused extensive damage to the western Izmir province.

A magnitude 6.8 quake hit Elazig in January, killing more than 40 people.

In November, a powerful 7.0 magnitude quake hit the Aegean Sea, killing 114 people and wounding more than 1 000.

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