5.4 magnitude earthquake shocks Turkey’s eastern provinceJune 23, 2011 - 14:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A 5.4 magnitude earthquake rattled the eastern province of Elazığ early on Thursday, June 23. According to Today’s Zaman, initial reports said the quake did not cause any fatalities or serious damage. Boğazici University's Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute said the epicenter of the quake, which hit the province at 10:34 a.m., was the İçme district and it occurred at a depth of 6.1 kilometers. The quake was also felt in the neighboring provinces of Malatya, Bingöl, Diyarbakır and Tunceli. The quake led to panic among Elazığ residents who rushed into the streets and left their homes following the tremor. Speaking on NTV news in a phone interview, İçme Mayor Faruk Erdem said no fatalities have been reported. Elazığ Mayor Süleyman Selmanoğlu also confirmed that there are no casualties, but that the quake caused landslides in mountainous areas. He also said some houses were damaged in Sarıkamış village and that the minaret of a mosque had collapsed. An earthquake that registered 5.9 magnitude in the western province of Kütahya's Simav district in May killed two people and damaged 103 buildings. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |