Another earthquake shakes Turkey, fourth since Monday

This is the fourth such tremor shaking the central Asian country after the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey early Monday morning causing large scale loss of life and property.

New Delhi:A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the central Turkey region, ANI reported citing news reports from Reuters who have cited European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre in its report. This is the fourth such tremor shaking the central Asian country after the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey early Monday morning.

At least 100 aftershocks measuring 4.0 or greater on the Ritcher scale have occurred since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey on Monday morning local time, according to the United States Geological Survey. Hours later, a 7.5 magnitude temblor, likely triggered by the first, struck more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away.

Authorities feared the death toll from Monday's pre-dawn earthquake and aftershocks would keep climbing as rescuers looked for survivors among tangles of metal and concrete spread across the region beset by Syria's 12-year civil war and refugee crisis. Survivors cried out for help from within mountains of debris as first responders contended with rain and snow.

US President Joe Biden called Erdogan to express condolences and offer assistance to the NATO ally. The White House said it was sending search-and-rescue teams to support Turkey's efforts. The quake, which was centred on Turkey's southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, sent residents of Damascus and Beirut rushing into the street and was felt as far away as Cairo.

On the Syrian side, the area is divided between government-held territory and the country's last opposition-held enclave, which is surrounded by Russian-backed government forces. Turkey, meanwhile, is home to millions of refugees from the civil war. The region sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999. (With Agency inputs)