Powerful 7.2 Earthquake rocks Turkey, many casualties feared
ANKARA, Turkey — A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey Sunday, collapsing about 45 buildings according to the deputy prime minister.
Turkey’s state-run television said at least 30 people were killed and 150 injured in the mountainous eastern province of Van, close to the Iranian border. Scientists estimated that up to 1,000 people could have been killed.
The city of Van also suffered substantial damage.
“Around 10 buildings have collapsed in the city of Van and around 25 or 30 have collapsed in Ercis, including a dormitory,” Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said.
Atalay said authorities had no information yet on remote villages, adding that the governor was now touring the region by helicopter to assess damage. The quake’s epicenter was in the village of Tabanli.
Authorities did not provide a casualty figure but the Kandilli observatory, Turkey’s main seismography center, said the quake was capable of killing many more people.
“We are estimating a death toll between 500 and 1,000,” Mustafa Erdik, head of the Kandilli observatory, told a televised news conference. His estimate was based on the structure of the housing in the area and the strength of the quake.
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I hope its not as bad as I fear it is.