7.2 quake in Turkey kills at least 138

ANKARA, Turkey -- Cries of panic and horror filled the air as a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey, killing at least 138 people as buildings pancaked and crumpled into rubble. The death toll was expected to rise as rescuers sifted through the rubble.

Tens of thousands fled into the streets, screaming or trying to reach relatives on cellphones as buildings cracked or collapsed. As the full extent of the damage became clear, survivors dug in with shovels or even bare hands, desperately trying to rescue the trapped and the injured.

"There are many people under the rubble," Veysel Keser, the mayor of the district of Celebibag, told NTV. "People are in agony. We can hear their screams for help." Celebibag is near the hardest-hit area -- Ercis, an eastern city of 75,000 close to the Iranian border and on one of Turkey's most earthquake-prone zones.

The bustling city of Van, about 55 miles south of Ercis, also sustained substantial damage. Highways in the area caved in. The temblor struck at 1:41 p.m., 6:41 a.m. in New York, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at least 93 people were killed in Van, 45 died in Ercis, and about 350 were injured. Several people were still trapped under rubble, he said, adding rescue work would continue through the night.

U.S. scientists recorded over 100 aftershocks in eastern Turkey within 10 hours of the quake, including one with a magnitude of 6.0. Authorities advised people to stay away from damaged homes, warning they could collapse in the aftershocks.

Residents in Van and Ercis lit campfires, preparing to spend the night outdoors while the Red Crescent began setting up tents in a stadium. Others sought shelter with relatives in nearby villages.

Rescue efforts went deep into the night under generator-powered floodlights. Workers tied steel rods around large concrete slabs in Van, then lifted them with heavy machinery.

Around 1,275 rescue teams from 38 provinces were being sent to the region, officials said, and troops were also assisting search-and-rescue efforts.

Some inmates escaped a prison in Van after one of its walls collapsed. TRT television said around 150 inmates had fled, but a prison official said the number was much smaller and many later returned.

Authorities had no information on remote villages, but the provincial governor was touring the region by helicopter and the government sent in tents, field kitchens and blankets.

The earthquake also shook buildings in neighboring Armenia and Iran.

Leaders around the world conveyed their condolences and offered assistance. "We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish ally in this difficult time, and are ready to assist," President Barack Obama said.

Israeli President Shimon Peres telephoned Turkish President Abdullah Gul to offer aid.