UPDATE 3 - 1 killed, 18 injured in quake hitting eastern Turkey

UPDATES WITH MORE STATEMENTS FROM VICE PRESIDENT

By Nurten Aslan, Aydin Arik and Ozcan Yildirim

ANKARA (AA) – One killed and 18 others injured when a 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey’s eastern Bingol province on Sunday, according to officials.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said the quake struck the Karliova district at 5.24 p.m. local time (1424GMT).

In the village of Kaynarpinar, two observation towers belonging to the police station collapsed and three village guards were injured, the Bingol Governorate said.

A total of seven people, including a village guard, were rescued from the wreckage while efforts were ongoing to save three people, including a village guard, under debris, the governor’s office added.

It later confirmed in a statement that the village guard who was trapped under the wreckage was martyred in Kaynarpinar.

- Top officials visit earthquake-hit province

Meanwhile, Vice President Fuat Oktay, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum arrived in the earthquake-hit province to supervise the relief efforts.

Oktay said 18 people were injured in the tremble, but added a comfort that no one is in critical health condition.

More than 1,300 tents were delivered to the region, and officials are controlling every village and town, he said.

“Forty-six aftershocks have happened so far, with two of them more powerful than magnitude 4. 90 teams from the Environment and Urbanization Ministry started to assess damage and they will continue until all the region is inspected,” he said.

The earthquake also partially damaged 10 houses in Elmali and Dinarbey villages of Yedisu district.

The Interior Ministry said 26 vehicles, and 109 health and rescue personnel were sent to the region.

Two military aircraft are on alert if any further help is needed, said the statement.

Bingol is surrounded by mountains and numerous glacier lakes, and has recently become a popular tourist destination.

Tremors were also felt in neighboring provinces, including Erzurum, Trabzon, Erzincan, Kars, Batman, Diyarbakir, Siirt, Mardin, Elazig, and Malatya.