Location of Elazig province in Turkey A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Basyurt, in the Elazig province or eastern Turkey at 04:32 AM (02:32 GMT) on Monday. According to local Kandilli observatory, the quake struck at a depth of five kilometres; the epicenter was near Karakocan town in the same province. The pre-dawn earthquake killed at least 40 people and almost 100 were injured. The village of Okcular was worst hit, claimed the press secretary for the provincial governor, Ozcan Yalcin. According to the U.S. Geological Survey , nearly five hours later, a magnitude-5.5 aftershock hit the province. 40 other aftershocks followed shortly, the highest of them being 4.4 magnitude, according to sources. While no deaths were immediately reported, the government's crisis management center soon put the toll at seventeen with another 60 injured according to the officials at Ankara , the capital. It was soon confirmed that at least 39 were dead; the toll is expected to rise. At least four of the victims were children. Yadin Apaydin, the administrator of Yukari Kanatli, said his village had been severely affected. "Everything has been knocked down - there is not a stone in place," he told CNN 's Turkey sister network, CNN Türk . Rescue workers, consisting of policemen as well as civilians dug with shovels to rescue people from the debris. The Turkish Red Crescent is also sending tents and blankets to be distributed. Neighboring districts are providing ambulances to assist the victims. Cemil Cicek , deputy Prime Minister of Turkey has left for the disaster area. Health Minister Recep Akdag, Housing Minister Mustafa Demir and State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz are accompanying him. According to CNN Türk, the tremor of the earthquake was felt in the adjacent provinces of Bitlis and Diyarbakir , causing residents to panic. Turkey lies on highly active fault lines and earthquakes often hit the nation. A 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Istanbul killed 20,000 people in August 1999. Most of the earthquakes that hit Turkey are usually minor.
Location of Elazig province in Turkey A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Basyurt, in the province or eastern Turkey at 04:32 AM (02:32 GMT) on Monday. According to local Kandilli observatory, the quake struck at a depth of five kilometres; the epicenter was near Karakocan town in the same province. The pre-dawn earthquake killed at least 40 people and almost 100 were injured. The village of Okcular was worst hit, claimed the press secretary for the provincial governor, Ozcan Yalcin. According to the , nearly five hours later, a magnitude-5.5 aftershock hit the province. 40 other aftershocks followed shortly, the highest of them being 4.4 magnitude, according to sources. While no deaths were immediately reported, the government's crisis management center soon put the toll at seventeen with another 60 injured according to the officials at , the capital. It was soon confirmed that at least 39 were dead; the toll is expected to rise. At least four of the victims were children. Yadin Apaydin, the administrator of Yukari Kanatli, said his village had been severely affected. "Everything has been knocked down - there is not a stone in place," he told 's Turkey sister network, . Rescue workers, consisting of policemen as well as civilians dug with shovels to rescue people from the debris. The Turkish Red Crescent is also sending tents and blankets to be distributed. Neighboring districts are providing ambulances to assist the victims. , deputy Prime Minister of Turkey has left for the disaster area. Health Minister Recep Akdag, Housing Minister Mustafa Demir and State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz are accompanying him. According to CNN Türk, the tremor of the earthquake was felt in the adjacent provinces of and , causing residents to panic. Turkey lies on highly active fault lines and earthquakes often hit the nation. A 7.4-magnitude earthquake in killed 20,000 people in August 1999. Most of the earthquakes that hit Turkey are usually minor.
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Elazig
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U.S. Geological Survey
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Ankara
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CNN
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CNN Türk
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Cemil Cicek
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Bitlis and Diyarbakir
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Istanbul