Quake hits northwest Turkey, 68 injured

A magnitude-5.9 earthquake hit a town in northwestern Turkey early yesterday, causing damage to some buildings and widespread panic. At least 68 people were injured, mostly while trying to flee homes.

The quake was centred in the town of Golkaya, in Duzce province, some 200 kilometres east of Istanbul, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said.

It struck at 4:08 a.m and was felt in Istanbul, in the capital Ankara and other parts of the region. Dozens of aftershocks were reported, including one with a magnitude of 4.3.