On Sunday, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the western region of Turkey, with multiple provinces feeling the tremors. As of now, at least 10 buildings have collapsed, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Turkey (AFAD) stated that the earthquake occurred around 7:53 p.m. local time on Sunday in the province of Balikesir near Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey. The epicenter was located in Sindirgi at a depth of 11 kilometers (6.8 miles).
According to the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ), the earthquake measured 6.19 magnitude with a depth of 10 kilometers.
Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on the social media platform X, stating that AFAD’s emergency response teams have started inspections in Istanbul and surrounding provinces.
Mayor Serkan Sak of Sindirgi reported that 10 buildings have already collapsed, with rescue efforts still ongoing. “In the center of Sindirgi, where six people resided, four have been rescued, and the search is ongoing to find the remaining two individuals. Currently, there is no information on any loss of life,” Sak said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed condolences to all those affected by the earthquake and pledged to closely monitor the aftermath of the disaster.
Following the 6.1 magnitude earthquake, Sindirgi experienced aftershocks measuring 4.6, 4.1, and 4.0 magnitudes at 8:01 p.m., 8:04 p.m., and 8:06 p.m. respectively, all centered in Sindirgi.
AFAD reported that the aftershocks had depths of 6.78 kilometers, 7 kilometers, and 16.07 kilometers for the 4.6, 4.1, and 4.0 magnitude earthquakes respectively.
Turkey is located above major fault lines, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence. In 2023, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey resulted in over 53,000 fatalities and the destruction or damage of hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 provinces in the southern and southeastern regions. A neighboring country, northern Syria, also experienced 6,000 deaths due to earthquakes.