ANKARA

The Turkish president early Saturday said all relevant departments have taken measures to ensure the safety of citizens following a 6.8-magnitude that struck the country's eastern provinces.  

"Our relevant institutions have taken all essential measures," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, adding interior, health and environment ministers were sent to the quake-hit area. 

Erdogan said the country's Red Crescent (Kizilay), the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and all other institutions were ready to assist citizens adversely affected by the natural disaster. 

The AFAD earlier announced that at least 22 were killed and many others were wounded due to the powerful quake. 

The quake was also felt in many other provinces including Adana, Osmaniye, Tunceli and Hatay. In addition, northern Syrian regions including Idlib, Azaz, Al-Bab, Jarabulus, Afrin and Tal Abyad also felt tremors. 

This is not the first earthquake Turkey has observed in 2020 as a 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. 

In 2010, Elazig province was hit by a 6-magnitude earthquake, killing a total of 51 people.