Powerful earthquake jolts Turkey and Greece, killing at least six
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN)At least six people have been killed in western Turkey after a powerful earthquake hit the Aegean Sea on Friday afternoon, sending buildings crashing down on the country's coast and on a nearby Greek island.
At least 20 buildings in the Turkish city of Izmir alone were destroyed, the city's mayor, Tunc Soyer, told CNN Turk. Images showed vehicles crushed under the buildings and people digging through the rubble in search of survivors.
More than 200 people have been injured in Turkey, the country's disaster agency said, dozens of them saved by rescue teams using diggers and helicopters to search for survivors.
TV footage showed water flooding through the streets of Cesme and Seferihisarin in parts of the wider Izmir province, as well as on the Greek island of Samos, in what authorities are calling a "mini tsunami." No tsunami warnings were issued.
Idil Gungor, who works as a journalist and runs a guesthouse in the town of Siğacik in Izmir province, said that the area was damaged more by the force of the water than the quake itself.
Her guesthouse, in a 100-year-old building, had been inundated and fish were swimming inside it, she said. Shops in town have also been flooded and their goods damaged.
"Everybody is calm but shocked and we're wondering what will happen, if there's a second tsunami coming or not," Gungor said.
Zeki Soysal, a resident in Izmir province, told CNN Turk that he made it out of his office building just in time before it collapsed.
"There was an older woman in the building but we saved her, she got out. There is another building close to this building. They are continuing to try to get the people out," he said.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the tremor's magnitude at 7.0, while Turkish authorities said it was 6.6. The quake struck 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) northeast of the town of Néon Karlovásion on Samos, the USGS reported, at 1:51 pm Greek time (7:51a.m. ET).
But it hit at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers, the USGS reported, making its impact powerfully felt at ground level around the epicenter.
Authorities in both countries have reported dozens of aftershocks. Izmir Governor Yavuz Selim Köşger called on residents to stay off the roads and refrain from using mobile phones unnecessarily so that emergency vehicles could reach affected areas and response teams could communicate effectively.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted "Get well soon Izmir," soon after the quake hit.
"With all the means of our state, we stand by our citizens affected by the earthquake. We took action to start the necessary work in the region with all our relevant institutions and ministers," Erdogan said
People search for survivors at a collapsed building in the coastal province of Izmir on Friday.
Samos Deputy Mayor Giorgos Dionisiou told Greek media that some old buildings had collapsed on the island.
The chief of Samos Hospital, Nikos Stefanis, said there had been only four minor injuries reported so far. There have been no reports of people trapped under rubble.
People have been told by Greek authorities to stay away from the shore and buildings, and to be on alert for high waves as aftershocks continue.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Twitter, "Samos endured. A government team is on its way to the island to deal with the problems. I am constantly informed about the situation and I call on the residents to be vigilant during the post-earthquake activity."
The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, tweeted, "My thoughts are with all the Greek and Turkish people affected by the strong earthquake that hit the Aegean Sea.
"Together with the other EU institutions, we are following the situation closely. The EU stands ready to help."
