Quakes damage homes in Turkey

A string of earthquakes shook south-western Turkey today, collapsing a mud-brick house and damaging dozens of other homes.

Several people suffered minor injuries in their panicked rush toward safety, officials said.

The Istanbul-based Kandilli observatory said the strongest quake struck south-western Denizli province at 11.36am (8.36am Irish time) and had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6.

Recep Yazicioglu, the local governor, told the private CNN-Turk news channel that some buildings had cracks and that a mud-brick house in a village had collapsed.

Earlier, he told the Anatolia news agency that 48 homes were damaged. Several people had suffered minor injuries as they left their homes in panic, he added.

Denizli is about 450km (280 miles) south-west of Ankara, the capital.

NTV said that quake could be felt as far away as the Aegean port city of Izmir, 225km (140 miles) north west.

There were more than 20 aftershocks, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 4.9 at 4.31pm (1.31pm Irish time).

“We’re recommending that residents not go back into their homes until the morning,” Yazicioglu said, adding tents would be distributed.