Turkey earthquake – Massive 7.0 quake rocks Izmir ‘triggering tsunami’

A POWERFUL earthquake has rocked Turkey as it destroyed buildings and triggered a tsunami that swept through coastal towns.

The quake registered a 7.0 of the Richter scale and had its epicentre 11 miles north of the island of Greek island Samos off the coast of Turkey.

At least 20 buildings in Izmir, a Turkish city with a population of 4.4million, are said to have collapsed, Mayor Tunc Soyer told CNN Turk.

Rescue efforts are already underway as scores of people are feared dead - but there no official figures on victims.

The emergency authority said it sent search and rescue teams to Izmir.

The US Geological survey said the enormous tremor was felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul.

People flooded onto the streets in the tourist city, witnesses said, after the quake struck.

A magnitude 7.6 tremor struck the city in 1999 killing 17,000 people.

Some two million foreign tourists visit Izmir every year, according to data from the Aegean Touristic Enterprises and Accommodation Union.

The quake was also felt across the eastern Greek islands and tsunami warnings were issued to many beachgoers.

Pictures and video posted on social media shows large clouds of dust rising over the city following the earthquake.

Other videos and pictures show surging sea water in Izmir province flowing into coastal towns.

People are seen running for their lives after as the apparent tsunami rushed in following the earthquake.

The quake struck at around 11.50am GMT and was felt along Turkey's Aegean coast and the northwestern Marmara region.

Turkeys Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said Friday's earthquake was centered in the Aegean at a depth of 10.3 miles.