A separate earthquake measuring 5.4 on the same scale occurred beneath the Ionian Sea east of Greece several hours earlier, Greek authorities said, but there were no reports of damage or injury. The Turkish tremor struck at 7:28 am, with its epicenter in the town of Simav, in Kütahya province, the Istanbul-based Kandilli observatory said on its Web site.

Simav Governor Riza Dalan told the Anatolia news agency that a 38-year-old woman died of a heart attack. The town's mayor, Riza Özdemir, said the earthquake, which sent residents fleeing their homes in panic, had caused minor damage. "There are cracks on the walls of some buildings and furniture fell over in some houses with the quake," Özdemir said.