Earthquake in eastern Turkey kills at least 57

Para-military and police directed operations on the outskirts of affected villages, where crowds had gathered, and a Red Crescent team had reached the area and set up a crisis centre.

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek and three other ministers travelled to the quake zone, state-run Anatolian news agency reported. Cicek said the death toll had risen to 57, confirming estimates given by local officials to broadcasters.

There were no reports of any damage to the strategic hydroelectric Keban Dam, further west in Elazig. The Keban Dam was the first and most upstream dam built by Turkey on the Euphrates River as part of the Southeast Anatolia Project. (Additional reporting by Daren Butler; Editing by Noah Barkin)