Ankara, June 10: A moderate earthquake shook northwestern Turkey on Monday, causing panic but no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The Istanbul-based Kandilli observatory said the quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.1, struck the province of Bandirma, 100 kilometers southeast of Istanbul at 2314 IST. The temblor was also felt in Istanbul, the Anatolia news agency said. Ismail Gursoy, a local official in Bandirma, told private television that there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage in the town.


The television said the quake caused panic in the town, sending residents fleeing into the streets.

Quakes are frequent in turkey, which lies on the active north Anatolian fault. Two massive earthquakes hit northwestern Turkey in 1999, killing some 18,000 people. Bureau Report