Moderate earthquake hits Turkey; no casualties reported

ANKARA, Turkey — A moderately-strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 hit southwestern Turkey on Wednesday, Turkish authorities said. There were no immediate reports of any casualties.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency said the earthquake was centered in the town of Acipayam, in Denizli province, and was also felt in neighboring provinces. It was followed by two aftershocks measuring 4.8 and 4.5.

The deputy governor for Denizli, Turan Atlamaz, said the quake demolished some homes, mostly mud-brick constructions, in rural areas, but no one was seriously injured.

News reports said at least one woman was hurt after she jumped off a balcony in panic.

Schools were closed in the region, the DHA private news agency reported.

Turkey lies on two major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent. In 1999, a magnitude-7.4 quake killed more than 17,000 people in northwestern Turkey. /kga