Turkey, Greece: Major earthquake, Tsunami hits | 14 dead, Over 400 injured

The quake caused a mini-tsunami on the Aegean island of Samos and a sea surge that turned streets into rushing rivers in one town on Turkey’s west coast.

Earthquake: Tremors occurred at a depth of 10 km at 11.51 am (UTC).

At least fourteen people were killed in Turkey and Greece after an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the Aegean Sea on Friday. The strong quake brought buildings crashing down and set off tidal waves which slammed into coastal areas and islands.

Turkey`s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said 12 people died, one due to drowning, while 419 people were injured, as reported by news agency Reuters. On the Greek island of Samos two teenagers, a boy and a girl were found dead in an area where a wall had collapsed. Search and rescue operations continued at 17 collapsed or damaged buildings, AFAD said. Izmir`s governor said 70 people had been rescued from under the rubble.

People ran onto streets in panic in the Turkish city of Izmir, witnesses told Reuters. Neighbourhoods were deluged with surging seawater which swept debris inland and left fish stranded as it receded.