A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Sındırgı district in Turkey’s northwestern Balıkesir province on Monday night around 22:49 local time.
According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the tremor was felt across several major cities, including Izmir, Bursa, Istanbul, and Tekirdağ, while several buildings in Sındırgı have collapsed.
AFAD reported that the epicenter was located at a shallow depth of only 5.99 kilometers, which explains why the quake was felt over such a wide area.
Rescue teams and firefighters have been deployed to assess the damage and search for survivors. Authorities have urged citizens to stay away from damaged structures and to use online communication channels to avoid overloading phone networks.
Geologist Ramazan Demirtaş noted that in the past 80 days, around 12,000 tremors have been recorded in Turkey, including 45 quakes between magnitudes 4.0 and 5.0.
In August, another 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit the same region, causing the death of an elderly person and the collapse of several old buildings.
⚠️ New footage from Sındırgı shows the extent of destruction following last night’s quake, as rescue operations continue in the affected zones.
