Earthquake In Turkey's East Injures 2 People, Presumably Causing No Deaths - Minister

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th January, 2020) The earthquake in Turkey's east has left two people injured, without claiming any lives, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Friday.

The head of Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said earlier in the day that a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Elazig province at 8.55 p.m. local time (17:55 GMT).

"We maintain contact with all the public agencies and rescue services of every province. There is no information about any fatalities so far. Two people were injured. There are no fatalities and casualties in the [city of] Elazig itself. There is information about some destroyed buildings in the provincial villages. Rescue workers are currently operating there. After the main blow, aftershocks are registered, and their magnitude exceeds five points," Soylu told reporters.

Meanwhile, an Elazig citizen told Sputnik that there was no visible destruction in the city.

"We were all extremely terrified, we rushed to the street and are currently standing there. It is very cold but we are afraid to go home. I believe there is no visible destruction in Elazig's center, we have not heard anything like that, but I am afraid there may be destruction in the rural area," he said, adding that his friends from other eastern provinces had also felt the earthquake.