Aegean Earthquake death toll 28, 885 injured, rescue teams intensify search efforts

TURKEY / GREECE – The death toll from the Aegean earthquake that struck the coasts of Turkey and Greece has risen to 28. 885 people have been reported injured so far.

The earthquake with epicenter in the Turkish province of Izmir caused much material damage and 20 buildings collapsed. Residents of the Greek islands and the city of Istanbul felt the earthquake. The earthquake caused a small tsunami that reached the Greek island of Samos, and the coast of the Turkish city of Izmir.

Turkish authorities said that the strength of the earthquake was 6.6 on the Richter scale, while the US Geological Survey said that the strength of the earthquake reached 7 on the Richter scale. Earthquakes are common in the region because it is located on a fault line between continental earth plates.

The Turkish authorities also announced that a second smaller earthquake occurred on Friday evening in the waters of the Aegean Sea off the coast of the western part of the country. No injuries or deaths were reported from this earthquake.