The death toll from the earthquake that struck eastern Turkey in the early hours of Monday morning has now been put at 51. Earlier reports gave a figure of 57.
 

Rescue work ceased after eight hours when no more people were found under the rubble.
 

The epicentre of the quake, which measured 6.0 on the Richter scale, was forty kilometres west of the city of Bingöl, in the province of Elazig. Eyewitnesses say the tremors lasted for approximately one minute and led to panic among those affected. Several houses in the area collapsed.
 

Earthquakes are a regular occurrence in Turkey. In 1999, 18,000 people were killed by a quake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale.