A powerful earthquake has struck near Turkey’s Aegean coast, north of the Greek island of Samos.
The 7.0-magnitude earthquake’s epicentre was just outside of Turkey’s Izmir province, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), who said that the quake was felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul.
Eight countries were affected, including: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Libya, United Kingdom, and North Macedonia.
Turkish authorities say that the quake had a magnitude of 6.6 and that 20 buildings in the city of Izmir have collapsed, according to BBC News.
A Turkish minister has confirmed that four people have died, while 120 have been injured, according to a tweet by AFP.
The tremor is reported to have started a mini-tsunami that flooded the port of Samos.
Izmir is home to approximately 3-million people. According to reports, people in the city rushed into the streets when the earthquake struck and social media videos showed people searching through the rubble of fallen buildings.
BREAKING – Over 20 buildings have collapsed in #Izmir (Turkey) after a powerful earthquake – Interior Ministerpic.twitter.com/DIp7Gfxhgp
— Disclose.tv ? (@disclosetv) October 30, 2020
BREAKING – Footage of a building collapsing in the background after a powerful earthquake hit near #Izmir in Turkey.pic.twitter.com/1UWpYxWHeU
— Disclose.tv ? (@disclosetv) October 30, 2020
“Some of our fellow citizens are stuck in the rubble,” said Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum.
Water was also seen rushing through the Turkish streets in other social media images, from an apparent sea surge.
BREAKING – TSUNAMI currently flooding the city of #Seferihisar south-west of #Izmir in Turkey.pic.twitter.com/TDC6om6LkA
— Disclose.tv ? (@disclosetv) October 30, 2020
Both Turkey and Greece are situated on fault lines and earthquakes are common.
This is a developing story.
Picture: Twitter