A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Balıkesir Province in western Turkey today, shaking Istanbul and İzmir, collapsing about a dozen buildings, and injuring several. Rescue teams pulled four people from the rubble, while two remained trapped amid ongoing aftershocks.
The quake was felt across several cities in the west of the country, according to the Turkish disaster management agency (AFAD) said.
Several buildings collapsed in the Balikesir province after the quake, according to images broadcast by Turkish media.
The quake hit at 7:53 pm (1653 GMT), with a 4.6-magnitude aftershock following several minutes later, according to AFAD.
“All AFAD teams and the relevant institutions have immediately begun searches on the ground. No undesirable event has been flagged up till now,” Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X.
Turkey is crisscrossed by several geological fault lines which have previously caused catastrophes in the country.
A quake in February 2023 in the southwest killed at least 53,000 people and devastated Antakya, site of the ancient city of Antioch.
More recently a 5.8-magnitude tremor in the same region resulted in one death and injured 69 people at the beginning of July.
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