Iowa Air National Guard officials say all Iowa-based troops are safe andaccounted for after this morning’s severe earthquake hit Turkey. Reports say nearly a thousand people are dead in the quake, perhapsthree-thousand hurt. It crumbled buildings, trapping people inside as theyslept. About 200 Iowa Air Guard members are stationed at Incirlik Air Force Base in southern Turkey. They’re part of the DesMoines-based 132nd Fighter Wing & are flying patrol missions over thenorthern no-fly zone of Iraq. Guard officials say they talked with leadersof the Iowa unit this morning. There are no reports of damage or injuries atIncirlik — in fact, no one there even felt the tremors. The earthquake wascentered many miles away near the city of Izmit & measured 7-point-8 on theRichter scale. It’s the most powerful quake ever to hit Turkey.
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