Schools evacuated as magnitude 5.6 quake hits eastern Turkey

Istanbul, May 20: Eastern Turkey was struck by a magnitude 5.6 earthquake Wednesday, emergency services said.

It hit the Battalgazi district of Malatya province at 9 am and the depth was 7 km, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.

There were no immediate reports of damage, but TV images showed schools being evacuated and residents rushing outside.

Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.

In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 southern and southeastern provinces.

Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighbouring Syria. ( PTI )