A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Friday, killing at least 22 people and injuring over 1000 others.

The quake hit at a depth of 6.7 kilometers (4.1 miles) near the town of Sivrice in Elazig province — some 750 kilometers (465 miles) from the Turkish capital, Ankara — at 8:55 p.m. local time (1755 UTC).

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said search and rescue teams were quickly dispatched to Elazig city and that the country's military was on standby to help. Over 2,000 personnel have been dispatched so far, while thousands of beds, blankets and tents have been provided.

Searching for survivors

Emergency teams worked in the freezing cold to try to rescue more than 20 people still feared trapped in the debris of toppled buildings more than 12 hours after the quake struck.

At least eight people, including two children, were pulled alive from under the rubble in the city center and surrounding neighborhoods, broadcaster CNN Turk said. Soylu said later that 39 people had been rescued.

At least 18 people were killed in Elazig, and four in the neighboring province of Malatya, according to the national disaster agency, AFAD. Some 920 injured are in hospitals in the region, it added.

"It was very scary, furniture fell on top of us. We rushed outside," 47-year-old Elazig resident Melahat Can told the AFP news agency. "We will spend the coming days in a farmhouse outside the city," she said.

More than 390 aftershocks were recorded in the wake of the earthquake, with one clocking in at 5.4 magnitude.

Read more: Volcanoes and Earthquakes: The Pacific Ring of Fire

Rescue workers raced against time to find survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings

Turkey's emergency response agency warned the residents in affected areas against returning to damaged buildings, as more aftershocks remain possible.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said all measures would be taken to ensure the safety of the people at risk, state media reported.

State media in Syria and Iran both reported that the earthquake was felt in those countries. Local media in Lebanon said the cities of Beirut and Tripoli also felt the quake.

History of earthquakes

Turkey has a history of being rocked by powerful earthquakes. Thousands of people were killed and many more displaced when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the western city of Izmit in 1999.

In 2011, more than 500 people were killed by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the eastern city of Van.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Where the earth shakes Seven tectonic plates make up our earth's surface. Where they meet, chances for an earthquake are the highest. In Nepal, the tectonic collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate caused a dramatic quake on April 25, 2015. It's one of the seven places on earth most prone to earthquakes.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Bhaktapur, Nepal (before) In the valley of Kathmandu, seven cultural World Heritage sites draw Nepalese and international visitors alike. Here, people are celebrating the Gaijatra Festival at the historic square in Bhaktapur in August 2014.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Bhaktapur, Nepal (after) Volunteer workers try to rescue people from beneath the ruins of collapsed temples - they have nothing but their bare hands to dig with. The 2015 Nepalese earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Japanese coast (now) Japan is known as an earthquake specialist, building its skyscrapers on moving foundations that can absorb the earth's shocks during a quake. It's also known for its nuclear power plants. In 2010, the Takahama power plant (pictured above, on the other side of the island from Fukushima) was one of 55, producing a third of the country's energy needs.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Japanese coast (then) Japan is more than 5,000 kilometers (3,107 miles) from Nepal. But in March 2011, it suffered a similarly disastrous earthquake, causing one of the worst tsunamis Japan has ever seen. More than 18,000 people were declared dead, and meltdowns of nuclear reactors in Fukushima leaked radioactive material into the surrounding area - more than was released in the Chernobyl catastrophe.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean (now) The Andaman Islands, which are part of India, are close to the intersection of the Indian and Eurasian continental plates. Due to the high tectonic tensions, earthquakes are common here.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean (then) The worst of these earthquakes in recent history hit on December 26, 2004. It was the third-strongest quake ever measured. Tsunamis following the quake killed 230,000 people along the coast.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Yunnan, China (before) The Chinese province of Yunnan is known for its breathtaking landscape, its rice terraces - and its earthquake risk. As Yunnan is located on the border between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, tectonic plate tensions can cause severe earthquakes.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Yunnan, China (after) In August 2014, more than 400 people were killed and about 100,000 left homeless by a 6.5-magnitude quake. Strong earthquakes are common in China. In 2008, 70,000 people died after a quake hit in the province of Sichuan.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions L'Aquila, Italy (before) Although Europe is not really known for earthquakes, they are more common than one might think. In Italy, the African plate comes up against the European continent, and the whole country is situated up against the plate boundary.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions L'Aquila, Italy (after) In 2009, a quake killed 300 people and left more than 10,000 homeless in the Italian town of L'Aquila. When seven scientists were convicted of manslaughter for failing to advise of earthquake threats, this raised international critique: Despite the most modern scientific methods, earthquakes cannot be predicted.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions San Francisco, United States (now) The Golden Gate Bridge is San Francisco's most prominent landmark. But it is under threat: Scientists say that soon, the worst earthquake in more than 100 years could hit the city, threatening its inhabitants. Culprit here is the San Andreas fault, where the North American plate meets the Pacific plate, just off the Californian coast.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions San Francisco, United States (then) In 1906, San Francisco was destroyed by an earthquake and resulting urban fires. To date, the San Francisco quake is said to be one of the deadliest natural disasters in US history - 3,000 to 6,000 people were killed.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Valdivia, Chile (now) Today, nothing in idyllic south-Chilean Valdivia reminds visitors of the earthquake danger. That doesn't make it less real: Just off the Chilean coast, the South American plate hits the Nazca plate. When tensions rise, the earth shakes. As a consequence, tsunamis form.

Earthquakes: The most endangered regions Valdivia, Chile (then) At a magnitude of 9.5, it was the strongest earthquake ever measured: In 1960, the quake destroyed large parts of southern Chile's infrastructure. At least 1,700 people died, while millions were made homeless. The next "big bang" is likely to take place in Chile's northern region. The earth there, scientists say, has been suspiciously quiet for years. Author: Lisa Duhm



ed, mm/kp (dpa, Reuters)

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