An Istanbul-based observatory says a moderate earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 4.9, has shaken the Turkish capital of Ankara, reported ap. The epicenter of the quake, which hit at 12:15 p.m. (1015 GMT), was in the town of Bala, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Ankara, says the Istanbul-based Kandilli observatory. There is no immediate reports of injuries. Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, much of which lies atop the active North Anatolian fault, but they are rare in the capital.
