6.1 M Earthquake In Turkey, Videos Show Debris On Roads

Istanbul: A powerful earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Turkey’s northwestern province on Sunday evening, sending tremors as far as 200 kilometers (125 miles) away to Istanbul.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD), the quake occurred at around 7:53 p.m. local time, with its epicenter in the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir. The main tremor was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest measuring 4.6. Authorities have urged residents to avoid entering damaged buildings due to the risk of collapse.

Footage from Balıkesir showed streets near the epicenter covered in bricks and dust. Local media reported that at least one building collapsed in Sındırgı, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or large-scale damage. Tremors were felt across multiple provinces in western Turkey. 

Turkey lies on major fault lines, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. In February 2023, a devastating 7.8 magnitude quake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey, destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings across 11 provinces, and claimed another 6,000 lives in northern Syria.

Authorities continue to monitor the affected areas as aftershocks persist.

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