A powerful earthquake in Türkiye

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck western Türkiye, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has confirmed.

The tremor occurred at 7:53 p.m. local time on Sunday (August 10) in the Balıkesir province, near Istanbul. According to local media, the quake was also felt in several surrounding provinces.

AFAD reported that the epicenter was located about 11 kilometers below the surface. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) measured the quake at 6.19 magnitude with a depth of 10 kilometers.

Several buildings collapsed in the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir. Mayor Serkan Sak said a three-story building in the city center had collapsed, trapping six people inside. Four were rescued alive, while efforts to save the remaining two were ongoing.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on social media platform X that AFAD emergency teams had been deployed to Istanbul and nearby provinces to assess the damage. Initial reports indicated no casualties.

Türkiye lies on several active fault lines and is highly prone to earthquakes. In February 2023, a devastating quake claimed more than 53,000 lives in the country.

Sources: Reuters, TRT Global