There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties in the quake, whose epicentre was at Silopi, near the Iraqi border. The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 5.3.

Earthquakes are a daily occurrence in Turkey, which is criss-crossed by geological fault lines. In October last year, more than 600 people died in the eastern province of Van after a quake of 7.2 magnitude and powerful aftershocks.