Deadly predawn earthquake rocks south-eastern Turkey
Dozens of people killed after 5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes south-eastern Turkey in early hours of Monday morning
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Monday, 08, Mar 2010 02:30
By Matthew Champion.
More than 50 people have been killed after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck south-eastern Turkey in the early hours of Monday morning.
The US geological survey said the quake, which took place at 04:32 local time (02:32 GMT) was followed by a separate tremor of 5.5 magnitude and then more than 40 aftershocks.
Six villages near the town of Kovancilar in mountainous Elazig province, 550km (340 miles) east of Ankara, were the worst struck.
"Many houses have collapsed," the prime minister's office said.
"Search and rescue teams have been sent to the area."
Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, which is crossed by several active fault-lines.
In 1999 more than 20,000 people died in the region around Istanbul in two separate quakes in August and November.