Turkey: Moderate quake causes panic but no damage, injuries

A moderately-strong earthquake shook the northwestern Turkish province of Duzce on Wednesday, Turkey’s disaster management agency said.

There was no immediate report of any damage or casualties in the quake. Many residents however, rushed out of buildings in panic, the private NTV television reported.

The magnitude 5.0 quake struck at 3.40pm (1240 GMT), the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate said. It was felt in Istanbul and other neighbouring regions.

Duzce’s governor, Cevdet Atay, said his office had not received any “negative information” concerning damage or injuries.

More than 700 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that hit Duzce in 1999. In August of that year, another 17,000 people were killed by another powerful temblor which devastated nearby Kocaeli province and other parts of northwest Turkey.