18 got killed as earthquake of magnitude 6.8 hits Turkey

A powerful
earthquake has killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds in eastern
Turkey, as rescue teams searched through the rubble of collapsed buildings for
survivors early on Saturday.

At least 30
people were missing following the magnitude 6.8 quake, which had its epicentre
in the small lakeside town of Sivrice in the eastern province of Elazig.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said all steps were being taken to aid people affected by the quake, which caused widespread fear.

People who fled
their homes in panic were lighting fires in the streets to stay warm in
freezing temperatures.

The Turkish
government’s disaster and emergency management agency (AFAD) said the quake hit
Sivrice at around 8:55 pm (1755 GMT). Turkey lies on major faultlines and is
prone to frequent earthquakes.

Interior,
environment and health ministers said at least 18 people were killed, 13 of
them in Elazig province and five others in the neighbouring province of
Malatya, which lies to the southwest.

Some 553
people were injured, they said.

Rescue teams
were searching for survivors trapped in a five-storey collapsed building in a
village some 30 kilometres from Elazig, according to sources. One person was pulled
alive from the rubble.

Sports
centres, schools and guest houses had been opened to accommodate quake victims
in Malatya.