Earthquake in Turkey: 14 dead, hundreds injured amid collapsed buildings and tsunami

A strong earthquake struck in the Aegean Sea between the Turkish coast and the Greek island of Samos on Friday, killing at least 14 people and injuring hundreds amid collapsed buildings and flooding, authorities said.

A small tsunami struck the Seferihisar district south of Izmir, the city in western Turkey that was hit the hardest, said Haluk Ozener, director of the Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute.

At least 12 people were killed in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, including one that drowned, and 419 were injured, according to Turkey’s Presidency of Emergency and Disaster Management, or AFAD.

In Samos, where a tsunami warning was issued, two teenagers died after being hit by a collapsed wall. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted his condolences, saying that “words are too poor to describe how one feels before the loss of children.” Eight other people were reportedly treated at the local hospital for minor injuries.

Izmir Governor Yavuz Selim Kosger said at least 70 people were rescued from destroyed buildings, four destroyed and more than 10 collapsed. Others suffered less serious damage, he said, but did not give an exact number.

Search and rescue efforts were underway in at least 17 buildings, AFAD said. Turkish media showed rescuers pulling people out of the rubble. Smoke rose from several points.

The earthquake, which according to the Kandilli institute had a magnitude of 6.9, occurred at 2:51 pm local time in Turkey and had its epicenter in the Aegean northeast of Samos at a depth of 16.5 kilometers.

It was felt in all the eastern Greek islands and even the Greek capital, Athens, and in Bulgaria. In Turkey, it was also felt in the Aegean and Marmara regions, including Istanbul. The governor of Istanbul said there were no reports of damage in the city, Turkey’s largest.

Videos on Twitter showed flooding in the Seferihisar district, and Turkish officials and announcers asked people to stay off the streets after reports of traffic congestion.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that 38 ambulances, two ambulance helicopters and 35 medical rescue teams were working in the city of Izmir. AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent were in Izmir, while Istanbul and other cities sent rescue teams.

Greek seismologist Akis Tselentis told Greek state broadcaster ERT that due to the shallow depth of its epicenter, about 10 kilometers, potentially powerful aftershocks could be expected for several weeks.

He said residents of the affected areas should be careful not to enter buildings that could have been damaged by the initial earthquake, as they could collapse in a strong aftershock.

On Samos, damage to buildings and roads was reported, and residents were warned to stay away from the coast for fear of a tsunami. The water rose over the pier in the main port of Samos and flooded the street. Residents were also told to stay away from buildings amid aftershocks.

The Greek minister responsible for civil protection and crisis management, Nikos Hardalias, made his way to Samos, as did a search and rescue team, paramedics and engineers.

In a show of solidarity rare in recent months of tense bilateral relations, Greek and Turkish government officials issued messages of solidarity to each other.

“We pray that there is no more loss of life in Turkey or Greece and we send our best wishes to all those affected on both sides of the earthquake,” Turkey’s communications director Fahrettin Altun tweeted. “This tragedy reminds us once again how close we are despite our policy differences. We are ready to help if Greece needs it.”

Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis tweeted that he had telephoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “to offer my condolences for the tragic loss of life caused by the earthquake that struck our two countries. Regardless of our differences, these are moments when our people must stand together. “

Relations between Turkey and Greece have been particularly tense, with both warships clashing in the eastern Mediterranean in a dispute over maritime borders and energy exploration rights. The current tension has sparked fears of an open conflict between the two neighbors and NATO allies.

– AP