UPDATE 4 - 4 killed, 152 injured in quake shaking Aegean Turkey

UPDATES WITH CASUALTIES, ADDS DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz and Firat Tasdemir

ANKARA (AA) - At least four people were killed and 152 others injured in the western Izmir province after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake jolted Turkey's Aegean region on Friday, according to the nation’s disaster agency.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the quake occurred at 2.51 p.m. local time (1151GMT) at a depth of 16.54 kilometers (around 10 miles).

AFAD also said an emergency aid of 3 million Turkish liras (around $359.000) was sent to the region.

Izmir Governor Yavuz Selim Kosger said that so far 70 people have been rescued from debris.

The National Defense Ministry has established a crisis desk in the wake of the earthquake two military helicopters are taking part in search and rescue efforts.

Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said the quake was also felt in the metropolis, but no "negativities" were reported.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said several provinces in the region, including Usak, Denizli, Manisa, Balikesir, Aydin, and Mugla, sustained minor damages to some buildings.

Turkish search and rescue teams are continuing their work on the field.

Earlier, Environment Minister Murat Kurum said that people were trapped under the debris of five buildings demolished in Izmir after the earthquake.

The minister also said he was heading to the region, along with Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli.

Adil Karaismailoglu, the Turkish transportation and infrastructure minister, said that there were no problems in transportation and communication following the tremor.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said that ministry teams were directed to the region to avoid any problems related to energy supply.

Expressing solidarity, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey stands by the "citizens affected by the earthquake."

"We took action to start the necessary work in the region with all our relevant institutions and ministers," Erdogan added.

The National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics initially put the magnitude of the quake at 6.6 but later revised it to 6.7. The quake struck northwest of the Greek island of Samos in the Aegean Sea, said the observatory.