A massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of western Turkey on Friday, killing four and injuring 120 people, reported AFP, quoting the US Geological Survey. 

The earthquake hit close to the Turkish resort city of Izmir, which has around three million residents, and was felt from Istanbul to Athens.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted, “Unfortunately, four of our citizens lost their lives in the earthquake.”

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a tweet, “So far, we have received information about six collapsed buildings.”

Environment Minister Murat Kurum added that he knew of five collapsed buildings. He said, “Some of our fellow citizens are stuck in the rubble.”

According to the USGS,  the quake was registered 14 kilometres (8.6 miles) off the Greek town of Neon Karlovasion on the Aegean Sea island of Samos.

The Turkish government’s disaster agency AFAD reported a lower magnitude of 6.6 for the earthquake, which struck at a depth of 16.5 kilometers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted that he was ready to help “with all the means available to our state”.

Turkey is situated in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.

In 1999, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey’s northwest, killing more than 17,000 people, including 1,000 in Istanbul.

Another quake in 2011 in the southeastern province of Van resulted in more than 600 deaths.