A strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale has hit eastern Turkey, killing at least 57 people.
The quake struck the hit eastern Turkish province of Elazig early on Monday, the Anatolia news agency reported, citing the crisis management centre in Ankara.
The victims hailed from the villages of Okular, Yukari Kanatli ve Kayali, the centre said in a brief statement carried by the agency.
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At least four of those killed were children, according to the private Dogan news agency.
Governor Muammer Erol said several homes had been destroyed by the quake.
"Villages consisting mainly of mud-brick houses have been damaged, but we have minimal damage such as cracks in buildings made of cement or stone," he said.
Rescuers were striving to save people trapped under two houses razed to the ground in Okcular, he added, without giving numbers.
The quake in Elazig province occurred at 4.32am on Monday (1332 AEDT) and was centred near the village of Basyurt, said the Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory.
Rescuers, supplies on way
It was followed by an aftershock measuring 4.1.
The quake was felt in neighbouring provinces of Tunceli, Bingol and Diyarbakir where residents fled to the streets in panic and spent the night outdoors.
Elazig is some 550km east of the Turkish capital, Ankara.
The CNN Turk news channel reported that around 20 people had been brought to local hospitals for treatment for various injuries.
The disaster management centre in capital Ankara announced that it had sent rescuers, blankets and tents to the quake region.
The tremor was felt in neighbouring provinces and sent the residents of Elazig rushing out on to streets in panic, CNN-Turk said.
Deadly earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, much of which lies atop the North Anatolian fault.
In 1999, two powerful earthquakes struck the country's northwest, killing about 18,000 people.
