A 7.2 magnitude earthquake was registered in Van on Sunday. There are reports that some buildings had collapsed and that many people have died while over 80 had been injured.

The Ýstanbul-based Kandilli seismology center says the quake occurred at 1:41 p.m. Its epicenter was in the village of Tabanli, province of Van, bordering Iran. The quake was also felt in the province's city center as well as the neighboring provinces of Bitlis, Muþ, Batman, Diyarbakýr and Hakkari. The quake struck at a depth of 5 kilometers.

The Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate said in a statement released after the quake that the tremor was strong and caused material damage and some fatalities. The earthquake also toppled some buildings in downtown Van as well as the neighboring town of Erciþ, officials added. Several strong aftershocks were also reported.