Strong Earthquake Rocks Eastern Turkey
A strong earthquake has hit southeastern Turkey near the border with Iran.  There are initial reports of damages and casualties, but no firm figures.

The magnitude 7.2 quake struck Van province on Sunday (at 1041 UTC). 

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay says 25 to 30 buildings and a dormitory collapsed in the town of Ercis, and another 10 buildings fell in the city of Van.

Turkey's state-run Anatolian news agency reported earlier that at least 50 people had been injured.

Television footage showed collapsed buildings and crushed vehicles in Van and scores of people with shovels and pry bars clawing through wreckage for survivors.  The mayor of Ercis issued a call for urgent aid, saying "there are so many dead."

Major geological fault lines cross the region and small earthquakes are a near daily occurrence.

新华网快讯：据外电报道，土耳其坎迪利天文台２３日预测，土耳其东部当天发生的里氏７．２级地震可能造成５００人至１０００人死亡。

伊斯坦布尔地震研究中心说，地震发生在当地时间１３时４１分（北京时间１８时４１分），震中位于和伊朗接壤的凡省的塔巴利村，震源深度５公里。

    据土耳其《今日时代》报道，目前已有约５０人受伤。另据当地媒体报道，总理埃尔多安已取消其他行程，当天将赴灾区视察。

    电视画面显示，震区凡省姆拉迪耶县的一些建筑物倒塌，有些居民来不及从楼房中逃出，被埋在废墟下。地震刚发生时，当地居民纷纷从建筑中逃出，场面比较混乱。待余震稍歇，不少居民开始竭力抢救埋在废墟下的人，同时尽快把受伤人员送往附近诊所医治。但也有人仍处于惊慌失措的状态，还有人跪在地上失声痛哭.