23 killed in strong quake in central Turkey

A magnitude-6 earthquake has toppled dozens of buildings in central Turkey killing at least 23 people.

Authorities say around 150 people have been injured.

Terrified residents leapt from trembling homes and the government is rushing rescue teams to the remote areas.

Worried locals fled the area around the town of Bolvadin, the epicentre of the quake, 190 miles southeast of Istanbul.

Most of Turkey lies on the North Anatolian fault and the country is frequently jolted by quakes.

Worst hit in the quake was the village of Sultandagi, where at least 15 people died. Eight other people were still buried under the debris of a collapsed house in the town, said Hayrettin Barut, mayor of the provincial capital of Afyon.

The quake collapsed 15 buildings in Bolvadin, a town of about 40,000 people. Several brick houses in five nearby villages were also destroyed, state television TRT reported.

Public Works Minister Abdulkadir Akcan said many buildings in Afyon province had been damaged. However, casualties in the quake could have been worse.

"Because today is Sunday and shops are closed, a huge disaster was prevented," Akcan said. Many of the most seriously damaged buildings were shops and public offices.

The government, accused in the past of reacting too slowly to natural disasters, immediately sent 3,000 blankets and 1,000 tents to the region and local troops set up tent cities to house the homeless, private NTV television reported.