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Strong quake shakes central Turkey, at least 2 killed |
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June 7, 2000
ANKARA, JUNE 6 (AP) - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 shook central Turkey Tuesday, killing at least two people, injuring some 30 others and sending thousands into the streets in panic.
The quake's epicenter was in Cerkes, in Cankiri province, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Ankara.
In Cerkes, one person died after jumping from a building, the Anatolia news agency reported.
In Cubuk, just outside of the capital of Ankara, a 17-year-old boy was killed when a three-story building collapsed, said the town's mayor, Mustafa Gokmen. The boy's brother was pulled from the debris injured but alive, and three other members of the family also were injured.
At least 26 other people were injured in Cerkes, said Cankiri Governor Halil Ulusoy. Most of injuries were caused by people jumping out of windows and balconies in panic.
The quake caused hundreds of houses and one school to collapse in villages in the area of the nearby town of Orta, Anatolia reported.
"Several buildings are unfortunately, inhabitable," Ulusoy said. Police were warning people not to return to their homes.
Schools were closed for the day. The quake, which lasted about 30 seconds, was felt in several central provinces and along the Black Sea coast. It hit at 5:40 a.m. (0240 GMT).
"A loud noise woke us up and we rushed to the street," Zeynep Gokmen told Kanal D television. "Everyone rushed to the street."
Hundreds of people also left their homes in Ankara, where the temblor was strong enough to rattle walls.
Two powerful earthquakes struck northwestern Turkey in August and November, killing more than 18,000 people and destroying thousands of buildings.
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