A moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale jolted eastern Turkey on Wednesday, causing slight damage but no casualties, the semi- official Anatolia news agency reported on Wednesday.

Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory & Seismology Institute was quoted as saying that the earthquake was centered in Sivrice town of Elazig province.

A building was demolished in Sivrice's Kayapinar village, Elazig Governor Muammer Musmul was quoted as saying, adding that a civil defense team comprising 15 people has left for the village.

Musmul added that the earthquake damaged an elementary school and the post office in Sivrice.

The quake was also felt in adjacent Malatya province, damaging nine houses in Puturge town of the province, the report said.

Meanwhile, a two-story building suffered serious damage in Malatya's Dogankoy town and a house was destroyed utterly, according to local authorities.

On Feb. 12, a moderate earthquake, measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale, shook Sivrice town of Elazig, injuring 28 people after they fled their homes in panic.

Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey which lies on active fault lines. Two devastating earthquakes in 1999 killed more than 18,000 people.

Source: Xinhua