Mitsotakis to Erdogan: Time to stand together in deadly quake

Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis offered his condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the deaths caused by the powerful earthquake that struck the eastern Aegean island of Samos and the city of Izmir on Friday.

“I just called President Erdogan to offer my condolences for the tragic loss of life from the earthquake that struck both our countries. Whatever our differences, these are times when our people need to stand together,” Mitsotakis said in a tweet.

Six people were killed in Izmir after buildings came crashing down while a tsunami slammed into coastal areas of the city and Samos.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.9, with an epicenter 13 kilometers (8 miles) north-northeast of the Greek island of Samos.

The United States Geological Survey put the magnitude at 7.0.

Turkish media showed wreckage of a multiple-story building in central Izmir, with people climbing it to start rescue efforts.