One person has died and at least 29 others have been injured after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the city of Sındırgı in Balıkesir province on Sunday evening.
Dozens of buildings collapsed as a result of the quake, which sent shockwaves felt about 200 kilometers north in Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul. Many of the injured remained trapped under the collapsed buildings caused by the tremors.
“We had two citizens who escaped on their own. Four of our citizens were rescued through very rapid search and rescue efforts. Unfortunately, one of the rescued, an 81-year-old elderly citizen, lost his life,” said Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Most of the collapsed buildings were abandoned and unused, Yerlikaya said. He added that two mosque minarets also collapsed, while the injured were not in critical condition.
The earthquake triggered at least 20 aftershocks, felt in the cities of İzmir, Kütahya, Yalova, Istanbul, Manisa, Uşak, Aydın, Eskişehir, Sakarya, and Tekirdağ, as well as central Balıkesir.
The country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency urged citizens not to enter damaged buildings as aftershocks continued.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a statement wishing a speedy recovery to those affected.
“May God protect our country from all kinds of disasters,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Turkey, located on several major fault lines, is prone to earthquakes. In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake caused widespread destruction in the country’s southern and southeastern provinces, killing over 53,000 people, most trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings.
Experts have warned that another major earthquake in Turkey could cause severe damage and loss of life, especially since millions still live in buildings not protected against earthquakes.
