Strong earthquakes in Turkey, 78 casualties

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake rocked western Turkey last night, killing at least three people and injuring 75 others, Turkish national television reported.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 11.15 local time, about 80km from the city of Kutahya, the provincial capital of the same name, about 80km west of southwest.

At least 6 aftershocks, the strongest of 4.6, happened after the earthquake, Turkey's Kandilli earthquake watchdog said.Anadolu National News Agency reported that a university building in Kutahya collapsed after the earthquake. Thankfully no one is present in the building when an earthquake occurs.

A street in Simav city, which lies on the epicenter of the earthquake
(Photo: VnExpress ).

The earthquake also rocked buildings in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, according to witnesses.

' I am in Istanbul and I have felt the shaking. Nobody was hurt in Istanbul but everyone was panicked , 'Doruk Kocal wrote on Facebook.

Provincial governor Kutahya Kenan Ciftci said at least 75 people were injured in the earthquake. One of the earthquake victims was a 75-year-old woman in the city of Bursa, who died of a heart attack after an earthquake.

Earthquakes often occur in Turkey because this country lies on fault lines. In August 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake occurred in northwestern Turkey, killing about 18,000 people and leaving half a million people homeless.