Ankara - A minor earthquake rattled north-western Turkey yesterday, one day after residents marked the first anniversary of a quake that killed more than 800 people in the region, a local official said. Residents of the town of Duzce fled their homes after an earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale struck the area shortly before dawn, the official said.
No injuries or deaths were reported. Hours earlier 2,000 people had gathered in Duzce for ceremonies commemorating the November 12th, 1999, earthquake that killed hundreds and left thousands homeless. The official said more than 30,000 residents are still living in tents and prefabricated homes as they wait for permanent housing. In August, 1999, an earthquake about 140 km west of Duzce killed more than 17,000 people.