Strong 6.1-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Western Turkiye, Damaged Buildings Collapse
Ankara: A powerful earthquake struck western Turkiye late Monday, causing several previously damaged buildings to collapse, officials said. There were no immediate reports of fatalities.
The 6.1-magnitude quake was centred in the town of Sindirgi in Balikesir province, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). It occurred at 10:48 p.m. local time at a depth of 5.99 kilometres and was followed by several aftershocks.
Tremors were felt across Istanbul and nearby provinces including Bursa, Manisa, and Izmir. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said at least three unoccupied buildings and a two-storey shop, already damaged in an earlier quake, collapsed in Sindirgi.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu reported 22 injuries, mostly from panic-related falls during the shaking. “So far, we have not identified any loss of life, but our assessments continue,” Sindirgi district administrator Dogukan Koyuncu told the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Local media said many residents spent the night outdoors, fearing aftershocks. As rain began to fall, officials opened mosques, schools, and sports halls to provide temporary shelter.
Sindirgi was previously hit by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake in August, which killed one person and injured dozens. The Balikesir region has since experienced multiple smaller tremors.
Turkiye, located atop several major fault lines, experiences frequent earthquakes. In 2023, a 7.8-magnitude quake devastated the country’s south, killing over 53,000 people and destroying hundreds of thousands of buildings. Another 6,000 deaths were reported in neighbouring Syria.
