7.4 magnitude earth quake hits in southern Türkiye

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake shocked southeast Türkiye early on Feb. 6 and was felt in several provinces and elsewhere in the Middle East. The quake knocked down a number of buildings, reports said.

Türkiye's disaster management agency AFAD said the quake was centered in Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş province.

Several buildings tumbled down in the neighboring provinces of Malatya, Diyarbakır, and Malatya.

At least five deaths were reported initially, and there were reports of people trapped under rubble. 

The earthquake was also felt in Lebanon and Syria.

Syria’s state media reported that some buildings collapsed in the northern city of Aleppo and the central city of Hama.

The quake jolted residents in Lebanon from their beds, shaking buildings for about 40 seconds. Many residents of Beirut left their homes and took to the streets or drove in their cars away from facilities.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties in either country.

Türkiye sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.