A strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale has occurred in central Turkey

 

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southeast Turkey early Monday, followed by another strong tremor.

It was felt in several provinces of the region and many buildings were reported to have collapsed. The US Geological Survey said the quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital.

It was about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the town of Noordagi.It was centered at a depth of 18 kilometers (11 miles), according to the US Geological Survey.

About 10 minutes later there was a 6.7 aftershock. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, AFAD, recorded the earthquake at 7.4 and was centered in the city of Pazarcik in Kahramanmaras province.