A magnitude 6.0 earthquake has shaken central Turkey Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least 35 people and the collapse of houses and a hospital.
CNN reports that the earthquake happened at 9:11 a.m. [local time] and was centered in Afyon, in the Bolladin province. Effects of the quake were felt in eight other cities, including the capital city of Ankara. The Bolladin area has experienced disastrous earthquakes in the past.
Four people died in the town of Sultandagi following the collapse of eight houses. One person died when a hospital collapsed in the town of Cay.
The governor stated that the search for victims was continuing. He said the government had established a crisis desk to manage the current situation.
According to reports, Afyon residents rushed outside for the safety of open ground as the tremor forced cracks to appear in walls and windows shattered.
Tremors are common in Turkey, where fault lines criss-cross the region. Two major earthquakes hit the country's northwest in 1999, killing more than 18,000 people and wrecking hundreds of thousands of homes. (Albawaba.com)
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