(Updates magnitude, adds quote, details) DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 21 (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 shook southeast Turkey on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, rattling buildings across several provinces. Witnesses said the quake caused cracks in buildings in the province of Elazig and an official from the provincial civil defence directorate said work on determining the extent of the damage was continuing. "According to the first comments of a district official, there has been no loss of life, but we have sent teams to the affected villages to determine the effects of the quake," said Celal Cihan, local head of the Civil Defence Directorate. Turkey's Kandilli earthquake observatory said the quake was magnitude 5.9. The epicentre of the quake was 22 miles (35 km) from the town of Elazig in the village of Sivrice, the Geological Survey said. The quake occurred at 1:05 pm local time (1105 GMT). Turkey is criss-crossed by seismic faultlines and has suffered devastating earthquakes in the past. In August 1999 nearly 18,000 people were killed in a quake in the northeast of the country. Scientists forecast that a major earthquake is likely in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul in the next few decades. (Additional reporting by Ferit Demir in Tunceli)
