Moderate earthquake shakes south-east Turkey

A moderate earthquake shook south-eastern Turkey today, a seismology centre said. There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.

The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7, was centred on the town of Basyurt, in the province of Elazig, the Istanbul-based based Kandilli Observatory said. It struck at 10.20am (8.20am Irish time).

Elazig is 450 miles south-east of Ankara, the capital.

Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, which lies on active fault lines. Two devastating earthquakes in 1999 killed 18,000 people.