 ANKARA,
Turkey (AP) -- An earthquake rocked central Turkey on Friday,
starting a fire that killed five people. Dozens were injured when
they threw themselves from windows and balconies in panic, officials
said.
The quake
toppled a spire on a mosque, sparking the blaze that claimed five
lives in the village of Yasarlar in Konya province, provincial
Gov. Ahmet Kayhan said.
The mosque
was packed with men gathered for evening prayers during the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan and it wasn"t clear if there were injured.
The quake
had a preliminary magnitude of 5.8, the Istanbul-based Kandilli
observatory and the U.S. Geological Survey said. Quakes of that
strength can cause considerable damage in populated areas.
The temblor
was centered between the towns of Ilgin and Bolvadin in Afyon
province, 160 miles southwest of Ankara. The quake badly frightened
residents, who recalled earthquakes that devastated northwestern
Turkey a year ago, killing 18,000 people.
Kayhan said
41 people were hurt in Ilgin and nearby Akeshir when they jumped
from buildings for fear of being trapped. Six people were treated
for shock, he added. A spire on a mosque in Ilgin crumbled.
The quake
toppled three houses and knocked down utility poles, causing blackouts.
It broke open cracks in several buildings, including the state
hospital of Bolvadin.
Kayhan said
relief workers were distributing blankets for residents afraid
to return to their homes. Authorities were trying to calm panicked
people in loudspeaker announcements, the Anatolia news agency
said.
Friday"s
quake was also felt in neighboring provinces of Isparta, Antalya,
Burdur, Kayseri and Ankara. People trying to reach their relatives
jammed telephone lines.
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