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The earthquake also destroyed buildings in several cities in Turkey and Greece.
Authorities say 20 people died in a coastal area in western Turkey, while two teenagers, a boy and a girl, died on the Greek island of Samos after a wall collapsed on them. (Read: Strong earthquake shakes the Aegean Sea shakes Turkey and Greece)
In Turkey, at least 20 buildings in Izmir city alone were destroyed. This was relayed by the local mayor, Tunc Soyer, to CNN Turk, Saturday (10/31/2020). Photos and videos showed vehicles crushed under buildings and people digging through the rubble in search of survivors.
Turkey’s disaster agency said at least 786 people were injured. Rescuers rescued dozens of people with bulldozers and helicopters to search for victims.
A total of 196 aftershocks have been recorded, 23 of which have a magnitude greater than 4.0. Turkey’s Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said search and rescue operations continued on 17 buildings, four of which collapsed. (Read also: victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Greece to 14 people)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that among those injured in Turkey, five were undergoing surgery and eight were in intensive care.
Television video footage showed water flooding the streets of Cesme and Seferihisar in parts of Turkey’s wider Izmir province, as well as the Greek island of Samos, which officials described as a “mini tsunami.”
Idil Gungor, who works as a journalist and runs a guest house in the Turkish city of Siğacik in Izmir province, said the area was more damaged by the force of the water than by the earthquake itself.
The temple, in a 100-year-old building, has been submerged and fish are swimming in it. Shops in the city were also flooded and goods were damaged.
“Everyone is calm but shocked and we wonder what will happen, if a second tsunami is coming or not,” Gungor said.
Zeki Soysal, also a resident of Izmir province, said CNN Turk who managed to get out of his office building before it collapsed.
“There was an older woman in the building but we rescued her, she came out. There is another building near this building. They keep trying to get people out,” he said.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the magnitude of the earthquake at a magnitude of 7.0, while Turkish authorities said the magnitude was 6.6. According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) northeast of the town of Néon Karlovásion on Samos.
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