4 dead as powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Turkey

At least four people died after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck eastern Turkey on Friday, country's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said.

At least four people died after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck eastern Turkey on Friday, country's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. Sputnik reported Soylu as earlier informing that the eastern district of Sivrice was "shaken very seriously" and that the rescue teams have been directed to that region.

The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 5:55 pm (UTC), was registered at a depth of 15 kilometres, about 218 kilometres northeast of the city of Gaziantep, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. Further details are awaited. (ANI)