5.7 earthquake in eastern Turkey topples at least 20 buildings; ten dead

At least 20 buildings, including two hotels, collapsed in eastern Turkey after a 5.7-magnitude quake struck just south of the city of Van near the Iranian border, TRT television reported. News reports state that at least ten people have been killed.

Panic broke out among residents; a quake in the same area killed more than 600 people recently.

There are no immediate reports of fatalities or injuries but many are believed to be trapped under rubble.

One of the collapsed buildings is a six-storey hotel in the Van city centre, private NTV television said. The hotel was mostly occupied by journalists and teams from the Turkish Red Crescent.

The quake occurred at 1923 GMT, with the epicenter in the Edremit district, some 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Van province which bore the brunt of the deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake on October 23, according to the Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory.

The local media, citing data from the Kandilli Observatory, measured the quake as 5.6 but it was of 5.7 magnitude according to the US Geological Survey.

“It would be premature to say if it is an aftershock or an earthquake,” Kandilli Observatory Director Professor Mustafa Erdik told NTV.

Media reports said the collapsed buildings were already damaged in the October 23 quake.