Turkey hit by second fatal quake

Rescue teams were today searching for survivors after a second earthquake in east Turkey killed at least seven people including a foreign aid worker.

More than 100 people are feared to be trapped after the 5.7-magnitude quake struck nine miles south of the city of Van yesterday evening.

Rescue workers have freed 25 people from the wreckage of buildings damaged by last month's 7.2-magnitude tremor which killed more than 600.

Since last night's earthquake further aftershocks have been recorded in the area hampering the rescue efforts. Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said the quake toppled 25 buildings but only three were occupied - the others had been evacuated after suffering damage last month.

He added that rescue work was now concentrating on two collapsed hotels and an apartment building.

Some of the guests at the Bayram Hotel were foreign rescue workers and others were journalists covering the aftermath of the earthquake on October 23, which left thousands homeless. Turkey's Dogan news agency said two of its reporters were missing. Ozgur Gunes, a journalist for Cihan news agency, said some trapped journalists had sent texts to colleagues asking to be rescued. He had left the hotel before the quake but had rushed back to collect his camera after it struck.

"There was dust everywhere and the hotel was flattened," he said.

Japan's Association for Aid and Relief said one of its staff members, Miyuki Konnai, had been pulled alive from the Bayram Hotel.

But Turkish authorities said that another member of the association's staff, the doctor Atsushi Miyazaki, had died.