A 6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale struck the Sandirci area of Balıkesir province in western Turkey last night, according to a statement from the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The earthquake occurred at 19:53 local time (16:53 GMT), at a depth of 11 kilometers below the surface, and was felt by residents in many western cities, notably Istanbul and Izmir, causing concern among citizens, although no casualties have been reported so far.

In the first official comment, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said via his account on the platform "X" (formerly Twitter):

 "All disaster and emergency management teams and relevant state institutions immediately began assessment and field research operations, and so far there have been no reports of any loss of life or significant damage, and we wish safety to all citizens".

However, despite this reassuring statement, videos broadcast by Turkish media showed the collapse of several buildings in some areas of Balıkesir province, amid unconfirmed reports of limited material damage.

A aftershock measuring 4.6 occurred a few minutes after the main earthquake, increasing the state of alert in the region.

For its part, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) confirmed that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.19 and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, almost matching what the Turkish authorities announced.

Turkey has been experiencing noticeable seismic activity for days, with over 400 earthquakes recorded in just one week, some of which were felt by residents, reminiscent of the major disaster that struck the country in February 2023, which resulted in the deaths of more than 53,000 people and widespread destruction in the city of Antakya and several areas in the southeast of the country.

Another earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 struck the southwest of the country last June, resulting in the death of a girl and injuring 69 others, reflecting the fragility of the geological situation in Turkey, which is located above two active seismic faults.

While awaiting further assessments and official reports in the coming hours, AFAD teams continue their work in Istanbul and neighboring provinces, amid official and public calls for preparedness and readiness for any emergency.