Turkey quake death toll rises to 31, search for survivors on

Elazig (Turkey): The death toll from a powerful earthquake which struck eastern Turkey rose to 31, officials said Sunday, as rescue efforts continued.

The earthquake rocked Elazig on Friday at 8.55pm at a depth of 6.7 kilometres with various earthquake monitoring centres giving magnitudes ranging from 6.5 to 6.8.

Interior minister Suleyman Soylu said rescue work was proceeding under the threat of aftershocks. The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said the first quake was followed by 228 aftershocks - the strongest with magnitudes 5.4 and 5.1.

While sheltering with his family at a sports hall in the town of Sivrice, Elazig, Emre Gocer told the state-run Anadolu news agency that the earthquake was "very severe" and his family had to "desperately" flee their home.

He said: "We don't have a safe place to stay right now."

On Saturday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said rescue workers were continuing to search for around 30 people buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Television footage showed emergency workers removing two people from the wreckage of a collapsed building in the district of Gezin.