Magnitude-5.6 earthquake hits eastern Turkey

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake jolted eastern Bingöl province on June 15, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said.

The agency said that the quake struck off the Karlıova district at 9.51 a.m. local time (0651 GMT).

This is the second earthquake to hit the area within 24 hours after at least one person was killed and 18 others injured on June 14 amid 5.7-magnitude tremors in the same district. The first quake struck Karlıova at 5.24 p.m. local time (1424GMT).

During the first quake, In the village of Kaynarpınar, two observation towers belonging to the police station collapsed and three village guards were injured, the Bingol Governorate said.

A total of seven people, including a village guard, were rescued from the wreckage while efforts were ongoing to save three people, including a village guard, under debris, the governor's office added.

It later confirmed in a statement that the village guard who was trapped under the wreckage was killed in Kaynarpinar.

Also, two aftershocks have been recorded with a magnitude of 4.6 at 5.34 p.m. local time (1434GMT) and magnitude 4.7 at 6.09 p.m. local time (1509GMT) in Karlıova.

Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said rescue teams were sent to the region.

Vice President Fuat Oktay, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Kurum arrived in the province to supervise the relief efforts.

Oktay in a statement said damage assessments would be completed in three days.

He said the situation could be easily overcome and that Elmali was among the villages most affected by the earthquake.

Oktay stated that several homes, schools, animal shelters, public housing units, and a police station were heavily damaged and some were...