Strong earthquake strikes Aegean Sea; rattles Turkey, Greece

File Pic

A strong earthquake struck Turkey's Aegean coast on Friday.

Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) put the magnitude of the earthquake at 6.6, while the US Geological Survey said it was 7.0.

The epicentre was some 17 km off the coast of the Izmir province, at a depth of 16 km, AFAD said. The US Geological Survey said the depth was 10 km and that the epicentre was 33.5 km off Turkey's coast.

It struck at around 1150 GMT and was felt along Turkey's Aegean coast and the northwestern Marmara region, media said.

People flooded to the streets in the Turkish coastal city of Izmir after the earthquake, witnesses said. Footage from Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber showed a collapsed building in central Izmir.

Residents of Samos, an island with a population of about 45,000, were urged to stay away from coastal areas, Eftyhmios Lekkas, head of Greece's organisation for anti-seismic planning, told Greece's Skai TV.

Ali Yerlikaya, the governor of Istanbul, where the quake was also felt, said there were no negative reports. 

More from International

  • Israeli airstrikes kill 11 in Gaza, Palestinians say

    At least 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the northern and southern Gaza Strip on Sunday, Palestinian civil defence and health officials said, in what Israel's military called a response to Hamas ceasefire violations.

  • Rubio visits eastern Europe to bolster ties

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a two-day trip to eastern Europe on Sunday to bolster ties with Slovakia and Hungary, whose conservative leaders, often at odds with other European Union countries, have warm ties with President Donald Trump.

  • New Zealand braces for more flooding after road collapses, one death

    New Zealand's weather forecaster on Sunday warned more flooding could hit the country's North Island, a day after floods caused power outages, road collapses, home evacuations and was linked to the death of a man whose vehicle was submerged on a highway.

  • Rubio tells Munich security forum US, Europe belong together

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a message of unity to Europeans on Saturday, saying Washington does not intend to abandon the transatlantic alliance, but that Europe's leaders had made a number of policy mistakes and need to change course.

  • Canadians 'will always be with you' says PM at Tumbler Ridge vigil

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told grieving residents of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Friday that Canadians "will always be with you" at a vigil to mourn victims of one of the country's worst mass shootings.

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • The Music Mix

    11:00pm - 6:00am

    Enjoy your favourite music back to back commercial free, tune in to the Music Mix everyday from 1 until 2 for the music you love and the news updates you need

  • The Business Breakfast

    6:00am - 10:00am

    The Business Breakfast is the day’s must listen for the UAE’s business leaders, and those who aspire to be.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Is There Sufficient House Supply In UAE

    Dubai’s current population is more than double compared to almost twenty years ago, which now stands at 3.7 million. Lots of families are also moving to the UAE now. So what does it mean for the property market?

  • Noon's First Female Delivery Driver

    Glory Ehirim Nkiruka is Noon’s first ever female delivery driver. In her first ever interview, she explained why she loves her job, despite the heat!