Powerful earthquake strikes eastern Turkey

Search and rescue teams have been deployed to Turkey's Elazig province after a deadly earthquake. Over a dozen people have been killed and hundreds injured, with some of them trapped under collapsed buildings.

A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Friday, killing at least 14 people and injuring over 500 others.

"It was very scary, furniture fell on top of us. We rushed outside," 47-year-old Elazig resident Melahat Can told the AFP news agency. "We will spend the coming days in a farmhouse outside the city," she said.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said search and rescue teams were dispatched to Elazig province, where the epicenter was located some 550 kilometers (340 miles) away from the Turkish capital Ankara.

Searching for survivors At least one building collapsed in the town of Maden and four buildings were devastated in the town of Sivrice. Rescuers were trying to reach survivors, according to disaster management services. Some 30 people are believed to be trapped in wreckage.

Some 60 aftershocks were recorded in the wake of the earthquake, with one clocking in at 5.4 magnitude.

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Turkey's emergency response agency warned the residents of the affected areas against going back into damaged buidlings, as more aftershocks remain possible.

History of earthquakes

Turkey has a history with powerful earthquakes. Thousands of people were killed and many more displaced when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the western city of Izmit in 1999.

In 2011, more than 500 people were killed by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the eastern city of Van. dj,bk/ng (dpa, Reuters)

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Buildings were devastated