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Mrluvaluva · 08-03-2010, 11:54 AM

At least 57 people are reported to have been killed in an earthquake in eastern Turkey.

The government's crisis centre says many of the victims were from the small villages of Okcular, Yukari Kanatli and Kayali.

The magnitude 6.0 tremor flattened stone and mud-brick houses and minarets of mosques in the area.

Some 60 people were reportedly injured.

TV reports said the dead included four young sisters trapped in the rubble in their sleep.

Rescue workers were trying to pull out other people from debris in Okcular village.

The Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory said the quake in Elazig province happened at 4:32am (2.32am GMT) and was centred near the village of Basyurt.

It was followed by some 20 aftershocks, the strongest measuring 4.1.
"Everything has been knocked down, there is not a stone in place," said Yadin Apaydin, administrator for Yukari Kanatli, where he said three villagers died.

The quake was felt in neighbouring provinces of Tunceli, Bingol and Diyarbakir where people fled into the streets in panic and spent the night outdoors.

Some of the injuries happened during the chaos, when people jumped from windows or balconies. Some of those hurt were taken to hospitals by cars and taxis.

Turkey's Red Crescent organisation have started setting up tents in the region.

Elazig is some 340 miles east of Ankara, the capital.

Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, much of which lies on top of the North Anatolian fault.

In 1999, two powerful earthquakes struck northwestern Turkey, killing about 18,000 people.

SKY