The earthquake was also felt in many other provinces including Adana, Osmaniye, Tunceli and Hatay as well as northern Syrian regions including Idlib, Azaz, Al-Bab, Jarabulus, Afrin and Tal Abyad. 
The country's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) first announced the quake with a magnitude of 6.8, but Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute in Istanbul revised the figure to 6.5.

Interrior Minister Süleyman Soylu said that search and rescue teams were sent to the region, and further information was yet to come, adding that some buildings in the city center were damaged.

He also added that rural villages could have suffered damage to some extent, without giving further details.

In Turkey, the 5.4-magnitude quake jolted western province of Manisa on Wednesday, whereas the capital Ankara was rattled by a 4.5-magnitude quake on Thursday.

 Elazig province was struck by a 6-magnitude earthquake in 2010, killing a total of 51 people. (ILKHA)