One killed as aftershock rattles Turkey

The Associated Press

IZMIT, Turkey -- Terrified survivors fled Turkey's earthquake zone after a powerful new tremor struck Tuesday, killing one man, injuring at least 166 others and knocking down quake-weakened buildings.

Coming two weeks after the Aug. 17 earthquake that killed more than 14,200 people and left thousands of others missing, the 5.2- magnitude shock deepened the despair of victims already wondering when they could resume their normal lives.

"I can't stand this any more," said 20-year-old Esin Yilgin, who was in a bank in the city of Izmit when the temblor hit. She said customers began banging on the windows in panic. Elsewhere, others wept and fainted when the shaking started.

"We are living with the same fear again," said resident Havva Sarac. "We don't know what to do."

Authorities said many of the injuries came from people jumping off balconies and out of windows in panic. Others were caught by the quake as they tried to salvage belongings from damaged buildings -- a practice officials have urged people to abandon.

An Istanbul hospital confirmed a 30-year-old man's death from falling debris in Izmit, and the Anatolia news agency cited other hospital officials as saying at least 166 people were hurt. At least seven buildings collapsed, the report said.

Istanbul's main observatory said the tremor was the strongest since the sharp aftershocks in the hours immediately after the Aug. 17 quake. The observatory said Tuesday's tremor -- which was preceded and followed by smaller aftershocks -- was itself an aftershock, one of more than 1,000 since the devastating quake.

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