Tragedy in Turkey and Greece: At least Eight in Earthquake | Israel today

More than 20 buildings collapsed and more than 200 people were injured in a powerful earthquake in the city of Izmir • Witness: "I escaped with my son a minute before the building collapsed" Mitsutakis

• A building that collapsed in the city of Izmir // Photo: Reuters

• Destruction on the Greek island of Samos // Photo: AFP

• Wounded evacuated from a building that collapsed in Izmir // Photo: AP

Tragedy in Turkey: At least six people were killed and more than 200 were injured in a major earthquake in the western Turkish city of Izmir.

Also on the Greek island of Samos, near the epicenter, two children were killed as a result of a tsunami that swept the shore where they were staying.

Surfers uploaded to social media videos showing a tsunami wave washing the streets of one of the towns near Izmar and causing extensive damage to property.

In the city of Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey, at least 20 buildings partially collapsed and six collapsed completely.

Seven people have so far been rescued from the rubble while alive.

The quake was also felt in other parts of Turkey.

Apart from Bazmir, citizens also felt it in the country's largest city, Istanbul, as well as in Oshak, Denizli, Mansa, Blixir, Aydin and Mullah. 

Zaki Suisel, a suburban resident of Eckerlisch who was badly affected by the noise, told CNN in Turkish: "I left the building with my son a minute before it collapsed. I know there are trapped people under the rubble. We managed to rescue an elderly woman from the rubble, we saved her. "And my office was downstairs. The building next door also collapsed." 

An Israeli woman on vacation in Bodrum told Israel Today that "we were by the sea and felt the earthquake - what was surprising was that the earthquake was prolonged and did not end. It made people more stressed."

She said, "My sister is on holiday in Izmir and they were on the street. They actually see building fragments in the streets and for them it is much more stressful."

Defense Minister Bnei Gantz instructed the IDF to prepare for emergency assistance to Turkey. Following this, a conversation took place between IDF representatives and the Turkish military attache in Israel.

In the conversation, it was conveyed to the Turkish authorities that the defense establishment and the State of Israel share their grief over the disaster, and are ready to send a delegation immediately that will help rescue buildings destroyed in the area and deploy a field hospital to treat the many wounded.

Ganz said that "the State of Israel and the security forces will always reach out to provide humanitarian assistance to civilians affected everywhere, using the capabilities and experience gained in the IDF over the years to deal with emergencies."

In the shadow of the tragedy, an exciting event also took place.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsutakis has telephoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two have spoken to each other about a first reconciliation between the leaders, which is in dispute over the issue of Turkish expansion in the eastern Mediterranean basin.