At least 12 dead after powerful earthquake rocks Turkey’s western coast

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu tweeted that the western provinces of Usak, Denizli, Manisa, Balikesir, Aydin and Mugla also experienced minor damage. Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said residents of Turkey’s biggest city could also feel the tremor but no damage or casualties had been reported, according to Hurriyet Daily News.  

Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted, “Get well soon Izmir.”

“With all the means of our state, we stand by our citizens affected by the earthquake. We took action to start the necessary work in the region with all our relevant institutions and ministers,” he said.

The earthquake also jolted Greece’s eastern islands and could be felt nearly 300 kilometers (186 miles) away in the capital, Athens. The National Observatory of Athens’ Geodynamic Institute put the quake’s magnitude at 6.6.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called Erdogan to offer his condolences on Friday. In recent months, the two NATO allies’ relationship has soured over access to disputed waters in the oil-rich Eastern Mediterreanean.

“Whatever our differences, these are times when our people need to stand together,” Mitsotakis said in a tweet.