Powerful earthquake jolts hits Turkey, 14 dead

(Istanbul) – A powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 hit eastern Turkey, leaving at least 14 people dead and causing buildings to collapse.

Eight people died in Elazig province and six others were killed in the neighbouring province of Malatya, the disaster and emergency management agency (AFAD) said.

The quake shook the Sivrice district in the eastern province of Elazig at around 8.55 pm (1755 GMT), the government´s disaster and emergency management agency said.

The US Geological Survey assessed the quake´s magnitude at 6.7, and said it struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (about six miles).

“It was very scary, furniture fell on top of us. We rushed outside,” 47-year-old Melahat Can, who lives in the city of Elazig, told AFP.

“We will spend the coming days in a farmhouse outside the city,” she said.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said four people had died.

“We are hoping we will not have more casualties,” he was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.