Huge Earthquake Hits Turkey, Greece, Destroys 20 Buildings

A powerful earthquake hit the region of Izmir, located on the coast of western Turkey, and was felt by residents of Istanbul, Izmir, and Athens in Greece on Friday.

Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Department said that a 7-magnitude earthquake shook the country's Aegean coast on Friday.

"The earthquake measured 6.6 on the Richter scale, with its center in the Aegean Sea off the coast of the city of" Safrihisar "in western Turkey," the Turkish News Agency reported in a tweet posted on its Twitter account. 

Media reports said that the earthquake was felt by the residents of Istanbul and Izmir as well.

“The information received to us so far indicates that 20 buildings have collapsed in the Perakliuburnova regions in Izmir,” said the Turkish Interior Minister, according to Sky News Arabia.

The governor of Istanbul noted that there had been no news of losses due to the earthquake that the city's residents felt.

On the other hand, Reuters reported that the earthquake was also felt by residents of the Greek capital, Athens. "There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage."

According to preliminary estimates, the earthquake occurred north of Samos at around 11:50 GMT.