The UAE News report: Rescue workers are still busy to dug through concrete blocks after powerful earthquakes that razed a lot of buildings in Turkey and Greece where at least 26 people have died, according to media reports.

Late Friday afternoon, the earthquake hit the Aegean island of Samos in which streets turned into rushing rivers on the west coast of Turkey.

According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.0 magnitude quake hit 14 kilometres off the Greek town of Karlovasi on Samos.

Istanbul and Athens both felt the tremors that also opened a diplomatic doors for the two rivals as Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a rare call to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and offered condolences as well as support.

Most of the losses happened around Turkey’s Aegean resort city of Izmir that has around three million residents and also comprises of high-rise apartment buildings.

According to eyewitnesses, most of the parts of apartments including the residents belonging could be seen all around the streets and survivors were in high shock and speechless with tears. It can be seen that entire apartment blocks turned into rubble.

It is estimated that around 20 apartment buildings had turned into rubble in the 10 minutes quake, Izmir’s mayor Tunc Soyer told media.

Twenty-four people have died while 28 others are injured, revealed the disaster relief agency in Turkey. On the other hand, Greece announced that two teenagers have died in Samos because of the collapse of a wall. Both of them were coming back home after attending the school.

As a precautionary measures one hospital in Izmir rolled a couple of patients out on the street as they were still strapped into their beds and having drips. Turkey also opened its mosques to provide shelter to homeless people after the earthquake.