ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th October, 2020) Residents of the western Turkish province of Izmir should refrain from using transport in order not to obstruct the way of rescuers tackling the aftermath of the deadly earthquake, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Friday.
"We ask our citizens in Izmir not to use their transport means. We have tents, blankets and mobile kitchens, and our rescue teams are working. All we need are roads. Please leave the roads to our rescue teams," Soylu said on Twitter.
As reported by Turkey's NTV channel, rescue teams are now working on 17 collapsed buildings. They reportedly maintain contact with at lest two people under the rubble.
A powerful earthquake hit western Turkey and the Greek islands in that part of the Aegean Sea earlier in the day. Turkish seismologists assessed the magnitude at 6.6, while their Greek counterparts said it reached 6.9. Multiple casualties and fatalities are being reported by the two countries as crisis control works continue.
Two children were found dead under a collapsed wall in the Greek Island of Samos. The search operation continues.
The death toll in Izmir has reached 12 at the time of the writing and 438 people were confirmed injured. The quake triggered a tsunami that heavily flooded streets of the Seferihisar city.
