14 killed after strong earthquake rocks Greece, Turkey

A strong earthquake in the Aegean Sea shook Greece and Turkey on Friday, toppling buildings and claiming at least 14 lives, according to officials.

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Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said the 6.6 magnitude quake struck just before 3 p.m. local time Friday. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake as a 7.0 magnitude temblor.

At least 12 Turkish citizens died, including one person who drowned, and more than 415 people were injured, emergency officials in Turkey said. Search and rescue efforts were ongoing Friday afternoon in 17 buildings that were destroyed or damaged in Izmir.

On the Greek island of Samos, officials told CNN that two teenagers died. Eight people on the island suffered “light injuries,” officials told Reuters.

Friday’s tremor triggered a “mini-tsunami” that caused flooding on Samos and in Izmir, BBC News reported. Turkish officials said more than 95 aftershocks were felt after the initial quake.

The earthquake was felt across the eastern Greek islands and as far as the Greek capital, Athens, and in Bulgaria. In Turkey, it was also felt across the regions of Aegean and Marmara, including Istanbul.

Istanbul’s governor said there were no reports of damage in the city, Turkey’s largest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

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