Strong Earthquake Strikes Northwestern Turkey, Causing Damage and Casualties
On Sunday, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.1 struck the Marmara region in northwestern Turkey, causing significant damage and resulting in at least one death and six injuries, reports 24brussels. The tremor led to the collapse of several buildings, amplifying concerns in the affected areas.
The mayor of Balikesir, Ahmet Akin, confirmed that an unidentified man lost his life after being trapped under the rubble of a collapsed structure. Occurring at 7:53 p.m. local time (16:53 GMT), the earthquake’s epicenter was located in the Sindirgi district of Balikesir province, at a depth of 11 kilometers, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The quake was felt across a broad area, including major cities such as Istanbul—home to over 16 million people and situated more than 200 kilometers from the epicenter—as well as Izmir, Bursa, and Kocaeli. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya advised Turkish news channel NTV that five people, including an elderly woman, were rescued alive from a collapsed building in Sindirgi, while rescue teams continued efforts to reach another person believed trapped under debris.
Sindirgi’s mayor, Serkan Sak, reported a total of ten buildings collapsed within his municipality, with numerous demolitions reported across various neighborhoods, although a complete assessment of all affected locations remains pending. Currently, four injured individuals have been hospitalized, none with life-threatening conditions, confirmed by the Interior Minister and Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu.
AFAD noted that twenty aftershocks have occurred so far, five of which were measured over a magnitude of 4.0. The agency has deployed 319 emergency personnel and 79 vehicles for search and rescue missions. Emergency call centers have received 24 damage reports, and ongoing assessments are underway.
The earthquake caused widespread panic, with many residents rushing into the streets amid the tremors. Istanbul’s governor, Davut Gul, stated that no issues had been reported in the city thus far, though further damage assessments continue. Turkey’s Marmara region has a notorious history of devastating earthquakes, including the catastrophic 7.5 magnitude quake on August 17, 1999, that resulted in approximately 19,000 fatalities and injured over 50,000.
This seismic event underscores Turkey’s ongoing vulnerability to earthquakes, given its location on active fault lines, and emphasizes the critical need for preparedness and prompt emergency responses to mitigate the effects on impacted communities.
