Turkish authorities have been put on alert, after the powerful 6.0 Richter earthquake that hit the country in the early hours of this morning, injuring around 50 citizens. 

According to the Civil Defense Service of Turkey, after the main earthquake that occurred at 4:08 am, a total of 106 aftershocks were recorded, the largest of which was 4.3 on the Richter scale. 

The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded near the city of Duzce, about 210 kilometers east of Istanbul. The tremors of the earthquake were quite strong, while it is reported that they were felt as far as Istanbul and Ankara. 

Panicked residents have taken to the streets amid fears of house collapse. Photos from Duzce at night show people huddled outside, wrapped in blankets and using makeshift fires to keep warm. 

The area hit by the earthquake was visited by the Interior Minister of Turkey, Suleyman Soylu, he drew the area affected by the earthquake. 

He said that "damages have been registered to the house, but there is no information about serious damage yet". The minister asked the residents of the area not to return to their homes yet.