Magnitude 6.0 quake jolts Turkey's southern coast

10 June 2012, 21:51 (GMT+05:00)

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A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred off the coast of Ölüdeniz, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, on Sunday, Today's Zaman reported.

İstanbul-based Bogazici University's Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, which initially announced the magnitude of the quake as 6.1, later revised it to 6.0. The quake, which took place at 3:44 p.m., was felt in Mugla as well as many other neighboring provinces in the Aegean and Mediterranean region.

No damage or casualties were reported, but the tremor caused panic in the resort town and neighboring districts. Several beaches were evacuated after the quake.

Turkish state TV said some people injured themselves in panic after the quake, but it did not give any numbers.

Kandilli says the temblor was followed by magnitude 6 and 4.9 aftershocks.

Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, which is crossed by several fault lines. Small earthquakes are a near daily occurrence. Most recently, some 650 people were killed and thousands left homeless in two earthquakes that hit the eastern province of Van on Oct. 21 and Nov. 9 of last year.