An earthquake of magnitude 7.1 to 7.2 (source: GFZ, EMSC and USGS) struck Eastern Turkey on Sunday October 23, 2011 with epicentre (according to KOERI) close to the city of Ercis about 50 km to the north of Van City at Van Lake at local time 13:41. Initial seismological information suggests an almost EW oriented thrust earthquake. An M=7.2 event has typically fault extension of 100 km, so that an area of around 2,000 km2 is affected very strong shaking (building damage is reported from Bitlis (130 km SE of the epicentre).
