A major 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on Friday and was felt in Turkey, Greece Bulgaria, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Libya, United Kingdom, and North Macedonia. The earthquake has struck the Turkish city of Izmir, setting off a mini-tsunami in its wake. The governor of the region has said that the quake destroyed several buildings, while dramatic footage from social media shows houses collapsing in the aftermath of the quake. Following the earthquake, water from the Aegean Sea filled the streets, prompting residents to flee to higher ground. People flooded to the streets in the Turkish coastal city of Izmir after the earthquake, witnesses said.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.9, with an epicentre 13 kilometres (8 miles) north northeast of the Greek island of Samos. The United States Geological Survey put the magnitude at 7.0. It is common for preliminary magnitudes to differ in the early hours and days after a quake. Multiple aftershocks struck the region. Turkish media showed wreckage of a multiple-story building in central Izmir, with people climbing it to reach rescuers. Smoke was seen in several spots in the city. Images on social media showed water rushing through the streets of Izmir from an apparent sea surge.

“So far, we have received information about six collapsed buildings” in Izmir province, which includes the city, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter.

Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency said three injured people were pulled from the wreckage of a building in Izmir. Some damage was also reported on the Greek island of Samos, to buildings and the road network. The director of the hospital in Samos said four people were treated there for light injuries.

Environment Minister Murat Kurum said he knew of five collapsed buildings. “Some of our fellow citizens are stuck in the rubble,” he said.

Residents of Samos, in Greece, which has a population of about 45,000 people, have been urged to stay away from coastal areas, Eftyhmios Lekkas, head of Greece’s organisation for anti-seismic planning, told the country’s Skai TV. “It was a very big earthquake, it’s difficult to have a bigger one,” authorities said.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said the earthquake was centred in the Aegean at a depth of 16,5 kilometres (10.3 miles) and registered at a 6.6 magnitude. The emergency authority said it sent search and rescue teams to Izmir.

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer said: “We received the information that at least 20 buildings were collapsed.” Turkish officials have confirmed that a search and rescue operation is underway. Residents have also been told to stay away from buildings, as aftershocks continued to rattle the area. Local officials told state media there were reports of damage to buildings and part of the island’s road network. “It is an event that is evolving,” authorities said, adding that some damage had been reported in parts of Samos.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted: “Get well soon İzmir.” “With all the means of our state, we stand by our citizens affected by the earthquake. We took action to start the necessary work in the region with all our relevant institutions and ministers,” Erdogan said.

By Karishma Gwalani