Powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Istanbul

Residents of Istanbul and neighboring Turkish states felt the tremor, which lasted between 10 and 15 seconds and caused panic.

A powerful earthquake shook buildings in Istanbul on Wednesday, and people were seen leaving the buildings as the quake struck.

Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported that a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Silivri district, north of Istanbul, at 12:49 p.m. local time.

AFAD added that the quake had a depth of 6.92 km and that it was also felt in neighboring provinces.

For its part, the German Research Center for Geosciences said that an earthquake measuring 6.02 on the Richter scale struck Türkiye, adding that the epicenter was at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Residents of Istanbul and neighboring Turkish provinces felt the tremor, which lasted between 10 and 15 seconds and caused panic.

The Turkish Interior Minister announced that the Turkish Disaster Management Authority, in conjunction with relevant Turkish authorities, has begun a field survey to monitor the effects of the earthquake.

AFAD later announced two aftershocks, measuring 4.4 and 4.9 magnitudes, off the coast of Büyükçekmece, north of Istanbul.

Citizens were warned not to enter buildings damaged by the earthquake or remain in their vicinity.

For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan commented, “I wish our citizens safety, and we are closely monitoring developments”.

For its part, the Istanbul Governorate announced that it hadn’t received any reports of building collapses, noting that the relevant units were conducting field surveys.

It added that 151 people were injured in the earthquake, while no deaths were recorded.