Earthquake shakes Izmir military community

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Don Manuszewski
  • 425th Air Base Squadron Public Affairs
IZMIR AIR STATION, Turkey (AFPN) --  An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 centered near Urla, Turkey, was felt about 35 miles away by members of the Izmir military community early April 10.

Squadron officials said that there were no injuries to U.S. military people and damage to air station facilities was light.

Local Turkish authorities report that there have been no deaths and minimal damage as a result of the temblor, although the top of the Hisar Mosque minaret fell.

"It woke me up and it took a short time to figure out what was happening," said Tech. Sgt. Darren Hall, 425th ABS law office manager. "Shock turned to concern, once my apartment stopped swaying, and I immediately checked on the safety of my American and Turkish friends in the area."

The earthquake came seven hours after another quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 4.5, in the Antalya Gulf.

The April 10 tremblor was one of the largest in western Turkey since August 1999 when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 killed 17,118 people.

A geographically separated unit of the 39th Wing at Incirlik Air Base, the 425th ABS is home to about 100 Air Force people whose mission is to support the U.S. forces assigned to NATO's Joint Command Southeast.