Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake Hits Eastern Turkey, Schools Evacuated, No Casualties Reported

(CNA, Istanbul, May 20, Comprehensive Foreign Report) A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck eastern Turkey today, according to the country's emergency rescue agency. Television footage showed local schools being evacuated. No casualties have been reported so far. The Associated Press reported that Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) indicated the earthquake occurred in the Battalgazi district of Malatya province at 9 a.m. local time, with a shallow depth of just 7 kilometers. While there are currently no reports of casualties or damage, television footage showed schools being evacuated and people rushing outdoors in panic. Turkey is situated on major fault lines and experiences frequent earthquakes. In 2023, a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the country, affecting 11 southern and southeastern provinces, killing more than 53,000 people in Turkey and destroying or damaging hundreds of thousands of buildings. An additional 6,000 people died in neighboring northern Syria. (Compiled by: Ho Hung-ju)