ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A strong earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on Friday and was felt in both Greece and Turkey, where some buildings collapsed in the coastal province of Izmir and a government minister said people were trapped in rubble.
People crowded onto the streets in Izmir city, witnesses said, after the quake struck with a magnitude of up to 7.0. The tremor could be felt as far away as in Istanbul and on Greek islands, where officials said some people were panicking although there were no immediate reports of injuries.
There were various reports of damage to property, with Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu saying six buildings had collapsed in two districts of the coastal city of Izmir.
Urbanisation Minister Murat Kurum put the number of collapsed buildings in the area at five, and added that some people were stuck under the rubble. Izmir mayor Tunc Soyer said nearly 20 buildings had collapsed in the province.
