PANIC gripped western Turkey tonight as a powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake sent residents running from their homes into the streets.
The quake struck the Balikesir region at 10.48pm local time, shaking buildings across a wide area including Istanbul and Izmir — two of the country’s largest cities.
According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the tremor hit the Sindirgi district of Balikesir province at a shallow depth of 3.72 miles.
The Kandilli Observatory recorded it slightly lower, at magnitude 6.0 and 7 miles deep.
Witnesses described prolonged shaking that sent terrified residents fleeing into the night.
Images circulating on social media appear to show buildings turned to rubble and people gathering in the streets, staring in horror at the destruction.
Emergency services said the region had been hit by a strong earthquake, with reports of damage to some buildings, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said “field surveys” are being carried out to assess the damage.
In a statement on social media, he added: “Regarding the earthquake, which was also felt in surrounding provinces, all teams from AFAD and our relevant institutions immediately began field surveys.
“I offer my best wishes to our citizens affected by the earthquake. May God protect our country and our nation from disasters.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also issued a late night statement, saying: “I extend my condolences to the citizens affected by the earthquake that occurred in the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir and was also felt in our neighboring provinces.
“Our AFAD, along with the relevant units, is meticulously continuing inspection and control efforts in the field.
“We are also closely following the process.
“May our Lord protect our country and nation from all kinds of disasters.”
The epicentre lies close to densely populated areas, including Istanbul – which has a population of 15 million – and Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city.
The tremor reignited painful memories of the 2023 disaster that killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey and 6,000 in northern Syria.
Sitting atop major fault lines, Turkey is no stranger to powerful earthquakes — and history offers grim reminders.
In 1999, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the city of İzmit, east of Istanbul, killing more than 17,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.
More recently, in January 2020, a 6.8 magnitude quake hit Elazığ in eastern Turkey, killing at least 41 people and injuring over 1,600.
It comes after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the southern Philippines on October 17, rattling communities across Mindanao and sending residents fleeing from their homes late at night.
The quake hit near the coastal town of Dapa in Surigao del Norte province, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), and was felt strongly across the region.
The tremor, described as shallow by seismologists, intensified fears in an area still on edge after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake just a week earlier triggered tsunami warnings and widespread panic.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or serious damage from the latest quake, though officials said inspections were underway.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active zone where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent.
This is breaking news. More to follow… please refresh for more updates and follow the-sun.com for the biggest stories of the day…
0 Comments