Strong earthquake of 6.2 on the Richter scale hit Istanbul on Wednesday, causing vibrations in Turkey’s largest city and ordering evacuations, the nation’s disaster management agency, AFAD, said.
The earthquake, one of the most powerful to strike Istanbul in years, hit at 12:49 p.m. local time (0949 GMT) with an epicentre close to Silivri, some 80 km (50 miles) west of the city. AFAD said the earthquake had a shallow depth of 6.92 km (4.3 miles).
While there were no reports of mass destruction immediately, the quake did result in panic and caused residents to evacuate buildings in both the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, a city that has more than 16 million inhabitants. Local television station TGRT reported at least one person was hurt after jumping from a balcony during the quake.
The quake happened during a national public holiday, with most people being at home or congregating in public places. Officials called for residents to steer clear of ruined buildings since aftershocks were still a likelihood.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) also monitored the earthquake, approximating the magnitude at 6.02 and setting the depth at 10 km (6.21 miles).
Emergency responders were sent in to survey the damaged areas, but by the late afternoon, there had been no reported structural failures or fatalities. Istanbul is situated close to the North Anatolian Fault line and is consequently very susceptible to earthquakes, giving rise to persistent concerns regarding the readiness of the city for an expected major earthquake.
AFAD remains on the scene and has told the public to be careful in the hours to come.
