Istanbul: At least 19 people were injured after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey’s western province of Balikesir late Monday, authorities announced Tuesday.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said on X that the injuries primarily resulted from panic and people jumping from high elevations. He said that 15 of the wounded remain in hospitals for treatment.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that a total of 504 reports had been received by emergency call centres, including 25 concerning building damage. “Each report is being assessed individually,” he added.
According to Yerlikaya, three unused buildings and a shop were demolished, and no casualties were reported, Xinhua news agency reported.
As field inspections continue, authorities are warning the public not to enter buildings that have been damaged. Many residents spent the night outdoors, while local officials opened schools and mosques for public use.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency stated on X that the quake struck the Sindirgi district in Balikesir province at 10:48 pm local time (1948 GMT) at a depth of 5.99 kilometres.
The quake was also felt in nearby provinces, including Istanbul, Bursa, and Izmir. Flights were briefly suspended at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport to allow for runway inspections.
Footage aired by NTV showed residents rushing into the streets as the tremor shook the area.
In August, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the same district, killing one person and injuring 29 others.
In April, the Istanbul Governor’s Office reported that 151 people were injured due to panic and incidents of jumping from heights during the 6.2-magnitude earthquake.
Many residents flocked to parks, school yards and other open areas to avoid being near buildings in case of collapse or subsequent earthquakes on April 23. Some people had also pitched tents in parks.
The earthquake had occurred at a depth of nearly 7 km (4.3 miles), and lasted 13 seconds, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, as it is crossed by two major fault lines.
In February 2023, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake and a second powerful tremor left more than 53,000 dead and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings across southern and southeastern Turkey.
A further 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighbouring Syria.
