Death Toll From Quake In Eastern Turkey Reaches 20, Over 1,000 People Injured - Reports

 Death Toll From Quake in Eastern Turkey Reaches 20, Over 1,000 People Injured - Reports

The death toll from the recent earthquake in Turkey's east has climbed to 20, while the number of those injured has reached 1,015, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday, citing the national disaster agency

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th January, 2020) The death toll from the recent earthquake in Turkey's east has climbed to 20, while the number of those injured has reached 1,015, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday, citing the national disaster agency.

The previous death toll stood at 19, with 772 people injured.

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Elazig province at 8:55 p.m. local time (17:55 GMT) on Friday. The disaster also affected the neighboring province of Malatya.

Turkey's disaster and emergency management authority (AFAD) wrote on Twitter that rescuers managed to retrieve four people from under the rubble in Elazig.

AFAD added that some 9,000 more tents and over 30,000 blankets were sent to the quake-hit town.

Currently, 493 rescue teams from 28 of the 81 Turkish provinces are working in the disaster area. Nearly 1,700 tents, 1,656 beds and 9,200 blankets have been delivered to the scene. In light of the tragedy, mobile operators have introduced free communication services in Elazig and Malatya.