A major 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit beneath the Sea of Marmara close to Istanbul on Wednesday, causing mass panic throughout the Turkish city and transporting hundreds to hospital with injuries sustained during attempts to evacuate buildings. So far, no serious damage to structures has been reported.
The earthquake was at a shallow 10-kilometer depth with its epicenter some 40 kilometers southwest of Istanbul, the US Geological Survey reported. The quake happened at 12:49 local time when streets were packed with children and families out celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, which is a public holiday.
Authorities said 151 individuals were hospitalized, mostly for injuries caused by jumping off buildings in terror. “They are being treated but are not in critical condition,” the Istanbul governor’s office said.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told the quake was 13 seconds long and this was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, among them one was 5.9 magnitude. The quake had its effects throughout several provinces of Turkey, Tekirdag, Yalova, Bursa, Balıkesir, and all the way to the south coast in İzmir.
Residents escaped to parks and open spaces, pitching tents and refusing to go back inside fearing further aftershocks. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave assurances, saying, “May God keep our country away from disaster. So far, there are no serious problems reported.”
Eyewitnesses painted the horrifying minutes of the earthquake. “We were on the 20th floor when suddenly everything started shaking really violently,” said personal trainer Leyla Ucar. Şenol Sarı, one other resident, explained he grabbed his kids and headed to an adjacent park while the building shook.
Even though there were no major injuries, the quake brought back anxiety in a seismically vulnerable area, following the devastating February 2023 earthquake that had killed more than 53,000 people.
