Turkey earthquake: Van hotel topples, 'killing three'

VAN. November 10. KAZINFORM A 5.6-magnitude earthquake has killed at least three people in eastern Turkey, and trapped many more under collapsed buildings.

About 20 buildings have collapsed, including a six-storey hotel in the city of Van, where dozens of aid workers and journalists were staying, BBC News reports.

The quake late on Wednesday and was centred 16km (10 miles) south of Van.

The same region was struck last month by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake which killed more than 600 people.

That earthquake struck a little north of Van but the city became the headquarters of the relief effort and has been flooded by aid workers and journalists, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul.

The city was only lightly damaged, but some of the weakened buildings are now thought to have been brought down.

'Text messages'

Television pictures from Van showed residents and rescuers trying to lift debris to free people trapped under ruined buildings.

Rescue workers were using high-powered lights to work through the night.

Parliamentary member Nazmi Gur said most of the buildings which collapsed were empty, but three had been occupied when the quake struck at 21:23 (19:23 GMT).

He said emergency teams were focusing on rescuing some 50 people believed to still be trapped.

For further information go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/