6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Türkiye, Causing Casualties and Damage
At least 52 individuals have sustained injuries and one person has died following a 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Türkiye late last night, leading to the collapse of multiple buildings, according to updates from the government on Monday, reports 24brussels.
The victim, an 81-year-old man, was trapped beneath rubble in the city of Balıkesir during the quake, which was felt across a vast region, including major urban centers like Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and Kocaeli. The man was initially pulled from the wreckage alive but succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Two other individuals escaped uninjured, while rescue teams managed to extract four people, including the elderly man who later died, as reported by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu indicated that 11 of the injured remain hospitalized. He noted that three sustained injuries from the earthquake itself, while the rest were hurt during their frantic attempts to flee, with some even jumping from windows and balconies.
A total of 16 buildings have experienced significant damage, with 12 of them being abandoned, according to Yerlikaya. Currently, no search and rescue operations are underway in the collapsed structures.
The earthquake occurred at 1653 GMT, with subsequent aftershocks reported between 3.5 and 4.6 in magnitude, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Türkiye is located in a seismically active zone, intersected by numerous geological fault lines, which have historically resulted in devastating earthquakes. Earlier this month, a 5.8 magnitude tremor in the same area caused one fatality and injured 69 others.
