23 injured as magnitude 5.3 earthquake hits eastern Turkey's Malatya

Duvar English

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck the eastern province of Malatya’s Yeşilyurt district at 8.48 p.m. local time on Aug. 10, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) announced. Accordingly, the earthquake occurred at the depth of 7 kilometers.

The earthquake was felt in Malatya as well as Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep provinces.

Two buildings in Çavuşoğlu neighborhood collapsed as a result of the quake, which were heavily damaged in the Feb. 6 quakes.

Malatya Governor Ersin Yazıcı told state-run Anadolu Agency that one derelict building in Battalgazi district also collapsed.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a tweet that 23 people were injured due to jumping from height. 

“23 of our citizens, 22 in Malatya and one in Adıyaman, were injured as a result of falling or jumping from a height. The treatment of our patients continues,” Koca said. 

The recent quake in Malatya occured after the southeastern Diyarbakır province and southern Antalya province were respectively struck by 4.2 and 4.5-magnitude earthquakes on Aug. 10.

It also occurred six months after two deadly earthquakes struck Turkey’s southeast on Feb. 6, one at a magnitude of 7.7 and the other at 7.6. Both quakes at the time were felt in Malatya province and caused major damages.

In the Feb. 6 quakes more than 50,000 people died according to the official figures in 11 southern, southeastern and eastern provinces, including Malatya. Turkey is crossed by fault lines and is prone to earthquakes.

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