Michael Hernandez
January 25, 2020•Update: January 26, 2020
WASHINGTON
The U.S. offered on Saturday its condolences to Turkey after an earthquake in the country's east left at least 22 people dead and over a thousand more injured.
"Our thoughts are with our friends and Allies in #Turkey following the terrible earthquake, and we share our deep condolences with all who lost loved ones to this tragedy," the State Department said on Twitter.
The 6.8-magnitude quake hit eastern Elazig province at 8:55 p.m. local time (1755GMT) on Friday, with its epicenter in Sivrice district.
At least 22 people died and more than 1,200 were wounded in the earthquake on Friday night. Tremors were also felt in neighboring countries including Syria and Georgia.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said more than a thousand rescue workers were dispatched to the region along with 18 sniffer dogs.
Some 250 surveyors are assessing damage caused by the earthquake. They have identified 81 seriously damaged buildings, 30 completely damaged and 53 that sustained minor damage.
