Earthquakes today: Turkey, Peru and Papua New Guinea rocked by HUGE quakes

EARTHQUAKES have hit Turkey, Peru and Papua New Guinea, with one a staggering magnitude-6.9. Here is the latest on the earthquakes.

Turkey earthquake: Debris litters streets following tremors

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Friday, killing four people and damaging buildings near the epicentre of the quake. The was so significant is was also felt in several neighbouring countries.

The quake had a magnitude of 6.9 and struck at a depth of 6.2 miles, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said four people were killed in what he described as a serious earthquake - two in the eastern province of Elazig and two more in the neighbouring province of Malatya.

The quake's epicentre was in Elazig province, about 340 miles east of the capital, Ankara.

Turkish aid organisations said they were sending teams to affected areas.

Earthquakes today Turkey

Earthquakes today: Turkey was struck by a magnitude 6.9 quake (Image: USGS/ GETTY)

The quake struck in a remote, and sparsely populated area and it could take some time for authorities to find out the full extent of the damage.

State media in neighbouring Syria and Iran both reported the earthquake was felt in those countries.

Local media in Lebanon said the cities of Beirut and Tripoli also felt the quake.

Turkey has a history of powerful earthquakes with more than 17,000 people killed in August 1999 when a 7.6 magnitude quake struck the western city of Izmit, 55 miles southeast of Istanbul.

Earthquakes today Turkey deaths

Earthquakes today: Buildings faced severe damage and four people have died in Turkey (Image: GETTY)

ring of fire news

Earthquakes today: Most seismic activity occurs along the Ring of Fire (Image: WIKIPEDIA)

Videos and images show the extent of the damage to buildings and roads in Elazig, Turkey following the huge quake.

Earthquake trackers have confirmed Turkey has experienced five earthquakes in the past seven days.

Elsewhere, Peru was shaken by a magnitude-5.4 quake, with neighbouring Argentina also experiencing a magnitude-5.5 earthquake, followed by one measuring 4.4 according to the United States Geological Survey ().

Papua New Guinea also hit by a strong quake, with one measuring 5.0 shaking 37 miles north-west of Finschhafen.

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Mexico has also experienced a powerful earthquake, with a magnitude-4.9 hitting 13 miles west south-west San Vicente Coatlán.

In central Asia, Tajikistan was struck by two major quakes on Friday.

One struck at a magnitude-5.5 just 6.2 miles south of Karakenja while another hit at a magnitude-5.0 6.8 miles east of Karakenja.

In Japan, two large quakes struck with one shaking at a magnitude-4.6 61 miles north-northeast of Chichi-Shima.

USGS earthquakes

Earthquakes today: Several high magnitude quakes have hit across the world today (Image: USGS)

The second in Japan hit at a magnitude-4.8 and struck 54 miles east-southeast of Namie.

Much of the seismic activity has occurred along the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean.

The spans 24,854 miles and sees the most earthquakes and volcanic eruptions than anywhere else in the world.

Professor Bill McGuire, Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at University College London told Express.co.uk about the explosive nature of the Ring of Fire.

He said: “The Ring of Fire is a girdle of volcanoes and earthquake zones that circles the Pacific Ocean, and which marks the join between some of the planet's most active tectonic plates.

“Almost all of the world's most explosive and dangerous volcanoes are located here, along with the some of the longest and most deadly earthquake faults.

“Almost all of the world's most explosive and dangerous volcanoes are located here, along with the some of the longest and most deadly earthquake faults.

“Many of the biggest faults in the Ring of Fire are submarine so that their rupture can trigger catastrophic tsunamis, such as those that struck Indonesia and the Indian Ocean in 2004 and Japan in 2011.”

Areas along the Ring of Fire often experience earthquakes and tremors and are home to the most active volcanoes. 

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