At least two people died and around 200 were injured when an earthquake hit the Turkish coast and Greek islands overnight triggering a tsunami.
It struck at around 1.30am local time between the holiday resorts of Bodrum in south-west Turkey and the Greek island of Kos, The Guardian reports. A small tsunami hit both areas.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The island appeared to be the worst affected, reports the Daily Mail. The two people known to have died, who have not been named, were both foreigners in Kos, Kyritsis said. Reports said they died when the ceiling of a building collapsed.
"The buildings affected were mostly old and were built before the earthquake building codes were introduced," added the mayor.
Rescue teams continued to search through the rubble on Friday. There are no reports of any British casualties at the time of writing.
The US Geological Survey earthquake monitor said the quake was particularly shallow, lying six miles below the seabed and with an epicentre six miles from Bodrum and ten miles from Kos. Beachfront hotels in the Turkish city of Marmaris were also flooded, the Daily Telegraph says.
Turkish officials warned people in the area to be prepared for aftershocks and to avoid the beaches in case of large waves. Many tourists opted to spend the rest of the night outside.
-
August 24 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Putin at Donald Trump's circus, gallons of whitewash, and a foldable cartoon
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in votingCartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugsTalking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
A manga predicting a natural disaster is affecting tourism to JapanUnder the Radar The 1999 book originally warned of a disaster that would befall Japan in 2011 — a prophecy that came true
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talksspeed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
How will the Myanmar earthquake affect the nation's military junta?Today's Big Question More than 2,700 people have reportedly died from the earthquake
