İzmir earthquake: Death toll hits 109, several contractors detained

Photo: AA

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The death toll from Friday's (October 30) powerful earthquake in Turkey's Aegean region has risen to 109, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has announced.

It stated that 1,036 people were injured, with 898 of them discharged from hospitals. A total of 138 people are currently being treated at medical facilities, it added.

Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said 12 of those receiving treatment were in intensive care while five others were in critical condition.

Rescue efforts are still continuing in five collapsed buildings, according to the AFAD.

Some 1,562 aftershocks between magnitude 1.0 and 5.1 shook western Turkey over roughly three days since a powerful earthquake rocked the region, the agency previously stated.

The magnitude of the earthquake was announced as 6.6 by the AFAD, 6.9 by Boğaziçi University's Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute and 7.0 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The earthquake's epicenter was 17.26 km (10.7 mi) off the Seferihisar district of İzmir at a depth of 16.54 km (10 mi).

İzmir is Turkey's third-largest city with a population of around 4.37 million.

Nine people have been detained

The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation regarding the collapsed buildings and issued detention warrants against 11 people, including contractors.

Nine people have been detained so far while two are sought by the police.

Four engineers of record, two contractors, one grocery store owner and one property owner are among the detained. (HA/EKN/VK)