Dozens hurt in Turkey quake

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 shook south-eastern Turkey today, injuring at least 54 people and demolishing homes.

The quake struck near the town of Karliova, in rural Bingol province, some 560 miles south-east of Ankara, the Kandilli Observatory said.

The quake caused several homes to collapse in nearby villages and at least 54 people were injured, the prime minister’s office announced. The temblor damaged at least 63 houses in several villages in neighbouring Erzurum province.

Five of the injured were in serious condition while others were treated in hospital for minor injuries and released, an official at the crisis centre in Bingol said.

Most of the homes that collapsed had been already damaged in a March earthquake, Bingol Governor Vehbi Avuc said.

“We are happy that there were no deaths,” Avuc said. ”The quake has caused quite a panic and we are trying to provide psychological support.”

Today’s quake occurred at 10.41am (8.41am Irish time). It was also felt in the neighbouring provinces of Erzurum, Mus and Tunceli.

At least 10 aftershocks, measuring between 2.9 and 3.5, also shook the region, Kandilli said.

Officials dispatched 1,000 tents and 2,000 blankets to the area while schools were closed for two-days.

In 2003, an earthquake measuring 6.4 collapsed a school dormitory in Bingol province, killing 83 children. The collapse was blamed on poor construction.

A magnitude 6.4 quake killed 177 people in Bingol in 1995.

Karliova is prone to earthquakes and a temblor of the same magnitude injured 15 people there on March 12.

Quakes are frequent in Turkey, much of which lies atop the active North Anatolian fault. Two devastating earthquakes killed about 18,000 people in north-western Turkey in 1999.