One killed in new Turkey quake, 69 injured as buildings collapse

Search and rescue teams deployed to five buildings. It hit weeks after massive quake killed over 50,000.

One killed in new Turkey quake, 69 injured as buildings collapse. An earthquake shook southeast Turkey on Monday, killing one person, injuring 69 and causing some buildings to collapse, Turkish authorities said.

It hit three weeks after a massive quake that killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria.

Yunus Sezer, head of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) told a news conference that search and rescue teams had been deployed to five buildings.

The quake, which struck the southeastern province of Malatya, was measured by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre at a magnitude of 5.2. AFAD put it at 5.6.

More From FactFile: Earthquake death toll surpasses 50,000 in Turkey & Syria

It struck at a depth of 5 km (3 miles), said EMSC.

Media reports said two people were believed to be trapped in the rubble of one building.

Turkey has arrested 184 people suspected of complicity in the collapse of buildings in this month’s earthquakes and investigations are widening, a minister said on Saturday.

Elections Due

The earthquakes have struck months ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held by June, which present the biggest political challenge to President Tayyip Erdogan in his two-decade rule.

A delegation from Turkey’s High Election Board was scheduled to visit the quake zone on Monday to start gathering material for a report on the feasibility of holding elections in the region.

Turkey has arrested 184 people suspected of complicity in the collapse of buildings in this month’s earthquakes and investigations are widening, a minister said on Saturday.