Ankara

ANKARA

A magnitude-4.0 earthquake struck Turkey's western Balikesir province, the country's disaster agency said early Thursday. 

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the quake struck 7 kilometers (4.34 miles) below the surface in Sindirgi district.

Turkey is crossed by fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. 

Last October, a powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck the country's third-largest city, Izmir, killing at least 115 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.​​​​​​​ 

In 1999, a magnitude-7.4 tremor hit the industrial province of Kocaeli, leaving nearly 18,000 people dead and around 45,000 others injured. 

Nearly 16 million people were affected and around 200,000 people left homeless.