Moderate earthquake shakes southeast Turkey

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 21 (Reuters) An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 shook southeast Turkey today, the US Geological Survey said, and witnesses said it rattled buildings across several provinces.

Witnesses said the quake caused cracks in buildings in the province of Elazig, but the extent of the damage was not immediately clear. Turkey's Kandilli earthquake observatory said the quake was magnitude 5.9.

The epicentre of the quake was 35 km from the town of Elazig, the Geological Survey said.

The quake occurred at 1625 hrs. Turkey is criss-crossed by seismic faultlines and has suffered devastating earthquakes in the past. In August 1999 nearly 18,000 people were killed in a quake in the northeast of the country.

Scientists forecast that a major earthquake is likely in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul in the next few decades.

REUTERS PDM KP1750