Ankara: The death toll from Friday''s earthquake in Turkey''s east has climbed to 22, while the number of those injured has reached 1,015, Interior Minister S?leyman Soylu confirmed in a press conference on Saturday. The previous death toll stood at 20, with 772 people injured. A powerful quake on Friday jolted the Elazig province, some 750 km east of the capital Ankara. It took place around 2055 hrs local time (1755 GMT) at the epicenter, the town of Sivrice, according to the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute at Bogazici University.
It was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest with magnitudes 5.4 and 5.1. With the focus at a depth of 5 km, the quake was felt in a wide range of areas, including four nearby provinces, CBS News reported. Currently, 493 rescue teams from 28 of the 81 Turkish provinces are working in the disaster area. Nearly 1,700 tents, 1,656 beds and 9,200 blankets have been delivered to the scene. In light of the tragedy, mobile operators have introduced free communication services in Elazig and Malatya.
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