Strong earthquake hits east Turkey claiming victims

ANKARA (AFP) May 01, 2003
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit the eastern Turkish province of Bingol early Thursday, claiming a number of victims, TRT television reported quoting local authorities.

The quake occurred at 3:27 am (0037 GMT) and caused "considerable" damage, the television said. Several villages were inaccessible and electricity was cut off.

The Strasbourg Observatory in France said the epicentre of the quake was situated in the Diyarbakir region at 38.94 degrees latitude and 40.90 longitude.

SPACE.WIRE