Magnitude 5.5 quake hits western Turkey

A photo taken from Hidirliktepe in Ankara on May 25, 2020 shows high modern buildings in the city's Cankaya district and the historical Kayabasi neighborhood. (File/AFP)
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Updated 26 June 2020
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Magnitude 5.5 quake hits western Turkey

  • The quake came a day after another temblor, measuring 5.4, shook the eastern province of Van, near the border with Iran

ANKARA: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 hit a town in western Turkey on Friday, sending people rushing out of buildings. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.
The earthquake was centered in the town of Saruhanli, in Manisa province, at a depth of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles), the government-run Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said.
HaberTurk news channel said it was felt in the neighboring provinces of Izmir, Aydin and Mugla.
Mayor Besim Dutlulu told HaberTurk that residents left their homes in panic but there were no reports of casualties.
The quake came a day after another temblor, measuring 5.4, shook the eastern province of Van, near the border with Iran, slightly injuring five people and damaging homes.
Turkey is crossed by two major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent. In 1999, a magnitude-7.4 quake killed more than 17,000 people in northwestern Turkey.


Safety of Jordanians a priority during regional conflict, says country’s crown prince

Updated 47 min 8 sec ago
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Safety of Jordanians a priority during regional conflict, says country’s crown prince

  • He visits Civil Defense Department and is briefed on the work it is doing to manage emergencies and protect lives and property amid attacks by Iran

LONDON: The safety of citizens is a priority for authorities in Jordan amid regional tensions, the country’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah Al-Hashimi said on Wednesday as he visited the Civil Defense Department for a briefing and iftar event.

He stressed the importance of keeping pace with the latest developments in civil protection systems and taking every opportunity to enhance the skills of Civil Defense personnel, the royal court said.

The department, which operates under the Ministry of Interior, has been working to manage emergencies and protect lives and property amid a barrage of missiles and drones launched by Tehran in recent days in response to attacks on Iran by the US and Israel. The strikes have targeted civilian and military areas in Jordan and other countries in the region.

During his visit the crown prince was greeted by Maj. Gen. Obeidallah Maaytah, director of the Public Security Directorate, and Brig. Gen. Nasser Sweilmeen, the Civil Defense director, and briefed on the work of the Civil Defense Department, the systems it uses, and the ways in which it is responding to the regional conflict.

In addition to firing missiles into Israel, Iran has targeted US forces at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and other American military sites in Gulf countries. Military personnel and civilians in several countries have been killed or injured by missiles or falling debris.