A HUGE earthquake has rocked Turkey as it destroyed buildings and triggered a tsunami that swept through coastal towns.
The quake registered a magnitude of 7.0 with its epicentre 11 miles north of the island of Greek island Samos.
The enormous tremor was felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul, the US Geological survey said.
At least 20 buildings in Izmir, a Turkish city with population of 4.4million, are said to have collapsed, Mayor Tunc Soyer told CNN Turk.
Rescue efforts are already under way – but there is no confirmation on the number of deaths of injuries.
Follow our Turkey quake live blog for the latest news and updates…
- Debbie White
FOUR PEOPLE KILLED SO FAR
The BBC reports that four people have been killed by a powerful earthquake around the Turkish city of Izmir.
And 120 people have been injured, say officials.
Tremors from the 7-magnitude quake were felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul.
Footage from the scene shows people scrambling among destroyed buildings in a desperate search for survivors.
There are also concerns about a tsunami – after flooding in the wake of the earthquake.
- Debbie White
QUAKE ROCKS GREEK ISLANDS TOO
Turkish media said the earthquake was felt across the regions of Aegean and Marmara, including Istanbul. Istanbul’s governor said there were no reports of damage in the city, Turkey’s largest.
The quake was also felt across the eastern Greek islands and as far as the Greek capital, Athens, and in Bulgaria.
Here's a USGS map showing the location of the quake. It comes a day after a 4.4-magnitude quake struck near Negresti, Romania.
- Debbie White
BUILDINGS COLLAPSE, TRAPPING PEOPLE
Izmir mayor Tunc Soyer told CNN Turk that about 20 buildings have so far collapsed.
The city is the third biggest in Turkey with about 4.5 million residents.
Turkey’s interior minister tweeted that six buildings in Izmir were destroyed.
He said there were small cracks in some buildings in six other provinces.
Environment and urban planning minister, Murat Kurum, said people are trapped under the wreckage and rescue efforts were underway.
- Debbie White
EARTHQUAKE 10.3 MILES DEEP IN AEGEAN
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said the earthquake was centred in the Aegean at a depth of 16.5km(10.3 miles) and registered at an initial 6.6 magnitude
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.9, with an epicentre 13km (8 miles) north northeast of the Greek island of Samos.
However the US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 7.0.
It is common for preliminary magnitudes to differ in the early hours and days after a quake.
Multiple aftershocks are currently rocking the region.
- Debbie White
QUAKE BETWEEN TURKEY & GREECE TOPPLES BUILDINGS
A strong earthquake has struck today between the Turkish coast and the Greek island of Samos.
This has collapsed several buildings in Turkey’s western Izmir province and causing some damage in Samos.
There were reports of people trapped beneath rubble in Izmir.
Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency said three injured people were pulled from the wreckage of a building in Izmir. Some damage was also reported on the Greek island of Samos, to buildings and the road network.
The director of the hospital in Samos said four people were treated there for light injuries.
- Debbie White
TSUNAMI WARNING FOR TURKEY
A tsunami warning was issued after the huge quake.
Officials have urged residents of the Samos area to stay clear of the coastline.
Water rose above the dock in the main harbour of Samos and flooded the street.
- Debbie White
AFTERSHOCKS EXPECTED
Greek seismologist Efthymios Lekkas told Greek state television ERT that it was still too early to say whether this was the main earthquake, although he said it was likely it was.
It is an event that is evolving, Lekkas said, adding that some damage had been reported in parts of Samos.
- Debbie White
QUAKE REGISTERED NEARLY 9 MILES AWAY
The USGS reports that the Turkey quake was registered 14 kilometres (8.6 miles) off the Greek town of Neon Karlovasion on the Aegean Sea island of Samos.
Pictured below – people look at a collapsed house in an earthquake-hit area of Izmir, on October 30, after major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of western Turkey
- John Hall
WORSE TO COME?
Seismologist Efthymios Lekkas told Greek state television ERT that it was still too early to say whether this was the main earthquake.
“It was a very big earthquake, it's difficult to have a bigger one,” said Lekkas.
It is an event that is evolving, Lekkas said, adding that some damage had been reported in parts of Samos.
A tsunami warning was issued, with residents of the Samos area told to stay away from the coastline.
It read: “Stay away from the coast. Danger from high waves due to earthquake.”
- John Hall
MASSIVE TREMOR
The quake was also felt across the eastern Greek islands and tusnami warnings were reportedly issued.
Greek media said the residents of Samos and other islands fled their homes, while some rockfalls were reported.
- John Hall
PANIC IN THE STREETS
People flooded onto the streets in the tourist city of Izmir, witnesses said, after the quake struck.
A magnitude 7.6 tremor struck the city in 1999 killing 17,000 people.
Pictures and video posted on social media shows large clouds of dust rising over the city following the earthquake.
Other videos and pictures show surging sea water in Izmir province flowing into coastal towns.
People are seen running for their lives after as the apparent tsunami rushed in following the earthquake.
The quake struck at around 11.50am GMT and was felt along Turkey's Aegean coast and the northwestern Marmara region.
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