Turkey: A new earthquake strikes the Balıkesir region with a magnitude of 4.9

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter scale struck the Balıkesir region in northwest Turkey this morning, Sunday, without any reported human or material losses so far, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The authority stated that the epicenter of the earthquake was in the Sindirgi area of Balıkesir, occurring at a depth of 7.72 kilometers below the surface, and was felt by residents in the surrounding areas.

Following the earthquake, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed via his account on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that disaster management teams and other emergency teams immediately moved to the site and are currently conducting field inspections to ensure there are no hidden damages or potential repercussions from the tremor.

This earthquake comes less than a month after another violent earthquake struck the same area with a magnitude of 6.1, which resulted in one death and the collapse of several buildings, highlighting the recurring seismic activity in this region of Turkey.

Turkish authorities remain on alert, amid calls for residents to exercise caution and follow the official instructions issued by the disaster management authority.