Earthquake in the Sea of Marmara shakes Istanbul, injuring 150 people
There were no immediate reports of serious damage in the metropolis of 16 million.
More than 150 people were admitted to hospital with injuries sustained while attempting to flee buildings, the Istanbul governor's office said.
The earthquake had a shallow depth of about six miles, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Its epicentre was some 25 miles south-west of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara.
It was followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 5.3.
The earthquake was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Tekirdag, Yalova, Bursa and Balikesir and in the city of Izmir, some 550 kilometres south of Istanbul, reports said.
The incident, which started at 12.49pm during a public holiday when many children were out of school and celebrating in the streets, caused widespread panic in Istanbul, which is on tenterhooks due to the looming threat of a major earthquake.
Panicked residents rushed from their homes and buildings into the streets. The disaster and emergency management agency urged people to stay away from buildings.
The Istanbul governor's office said in a statement: 'Due to panic, 151 of our citizens were injured from jumping from heights. Their treatments are ongoing in hospitals, and they are not in a life-threatening condition.'
Many residents flocked to parks, school yards and other open areas to avoid being near buildings in case of collapse or subsequent earthquakes. Some people pitched tents in parks.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at an event marking the National Sovereignty and Children's Day holiday, said: 'Thank God, there does not seem to be any problems for now.
'May God protect our country and our people from all kinds of calamities, disasters, accidents and troubles.'
Turkey's interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said the authorities had not received reports of collapsed buildings. He told HaberTurk television that there had been reports of damage to buildings.
The NTV broadcaster reported that a derelict and abandoned former residential building in this historic Fatih district, which houses the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, had collapsed.
Kemal Cebi, the mayor of the Kucukcekmece district in western Istanbul, told local broadcaster NTV that there were 'no negative developments yet' but he reported that there were traffic jams and that many buildings were already at risk due to the density of the area.
In Zeytinburnu district, some people were injured after jumping out of buildings, aayor Omer Arisoy told NTV.
Turkey is crossed by two major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6 2023, and a second powerful tremor that came hours later, destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 southern and south-eastern Turkish provinces, leaving more than 53,000 people dead.
Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighbouring Syria.
While Istanbul was not impacted by that earthquake, the devastation heightened fears of a similar quake, with experts citing the city's proximity to fault lines.
In a bid to prevent damage from any future quake, both the national government and local administrations started urban reconstruction projects to fortify buildings at risk and started campaigns to demolish buildings at risk of collapse.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
a day ago
- NBC News
Southern Baptists target porn, sports betting, same-sex marriage and 'willful childlessness'
Southern Baptists meeting this week in Dallas will be asked to approve resolutions calling for a legal ban on pornography and a reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court's approval of same-sex marriage. The proposed resolutions call for laws on gender, marriage and family based on what they say is the biblically stated order of divine creation. They also call for legislators to curtail sports betting and to support policies that promote childbearing. The Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, is also expected to debate controversies within its own house during its annual meeting Tuesday and Wednesday — such as a proposed ban on churches with women pastors. There are also calls to defund the organization's public policy arm, whose anti-abortion stance hasn't extended to supporting criminal charges for women having abortions. In a denomination where support for President Donald Trump is strong, there is little on the advance agenda referencing specific actions by Trump since taking office in January in areas such as tariffs, immigration or the pending budget bill containing cuts in taxes, food aid and Medicaid. Remnants of the epic showdown in Dallas 40 years ago Southern Baptists will be meeting on the 40th anniversary of another Dallas annual meeting. An epic showdown took place when a record-shattering 45,000 church representatives clashed in what became a decisive blow in the takeover of the convention — and its seminaries and other agencies — by a more conservative faction that was also aligned with the growing Christian conservative movement in presidential politics. The 1985 showdown was "the hinge convention in terms of the old and the new in the SBC," said Albert Mohler, who became a key agent in the denomination's rightward shift as longtime president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Attendance this week will likely be a fraction of 1985's, but that meeting's influence will be evident. Any debates will be among solidly conservative members. Many of the proposed resolutions — on gambling, pornography, sex, gender and marriage — reflect long-standing positions of the convention, though they are especially pointed in their demands on the wider political world. They are proposed by the official Committee on Resolutions, whose recommendations typically get strong support. A proposed resolution says legislators have a duty to "pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family" and to oppose laws contradicting "what God has made plain through nature and Scripture." To some outside observers, such language is theocratic. "When you talk about God's design for anything, there's not a lot of room for compromise," said Nancy Ammerman, professor emerita of sociology of religion at Boston University. She was an eyewitness to the Dallas meeting and author of "Baptist Battles," a history of the 1980s controversy between theological conservatives and moderates. "There's not a lot of room for people who don't have the same understanding of who God is and how God operates in the world," she said. Mohler said the resolutions reflect a divinely created order that predates the writing of the Scriptures and is affirmed by them. He said the Christian church has always asserted that the created order "is binding on all persons, in all times, everywhere." Southern Baptist views more politically viable today Separate resolutions decry pornography and sports betting as destructive, calling for the former to be banned and the latter curtailed. At least some of these political stances are in the realm of plausibility at a time when their conservative allies control all levers of power in Washington and many have embraced aspects of a Christian nationalist agenda. A Southern Baptist, Mike Johnson, is speaker of the House of Representatives and third in line to the presidency. At least one Supreme Court justice, Clarence Thomas, has called for revisiting the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Other religious conservatives — including some in the Catholic postliberal movement, which has influenced Vice President JD Vance — have promoted the view that a robust government should legislate morality, such as banning pornography while easing church-state separation. And conservatives of various stripes have echoed one of the resolution's call for pro-natalist policies and its decrying of "willful childlessness which contributes to a declining fertility rate." Some call for eliminating Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Some preconvention talk has focused on defunding the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the Southern Baptist Convention's public policy arm, which has been accused of being ineffective. Ten former Southern Baptist presidents endorsed its continued funding, though one other called for the opposite. A staunchly conservative group, the Center for Baptist Leadership, has posted online articles critical of the commission, which is adamantly anti-abortion but has opposed state laws criminalizing women seeking abortions. The commission has appealed to Southern Baptists for support, citing its advocacy for religious liberty and against abortion and transgender identity. "Without the ERLC, you will send the message to our nation's lawmakers and the public at large that the SBC has chosen to abandon the public square at a time when the Southern Baptist voice is most needed," said a video statement from the commission president, Brent Leatherwood. A group of Southern Baptist ethnic groups and leaders signed a statement in April citing concern over Trump's immigration crackdown, saying it has hurt church attendance and raised fears. "Law and order are necessary, but enforcement must be accompanied with compassion that doesn't demonize those fleeing oppression, violence, and persecution," the statement said. The Center for Baptist Leadership, however, denounced the denominational Baptist Press for working to "weaponize empathy" in its reporting on the statement and Leatherwood for supporting it. Texas pastor Dwight McKissic, a Black pastor who shares many of the Southern Baptist Convention's conservative stances, criticized what he sees as a backlash against the commission, "the most racially progressive entity in the SBC." "The SBC is transitioning from an evangelical organization to a fundamentalist organization," he posted on the social media site X. "Fewer and fewer Black churches will make the transition with them." Amendment to ban churches with women pastors An amendment to ban churches with women pastors failed in 2024 after narrowly failing to gain a two-thirds supermajority for two consecutive years. It is expected to be reintroduced. The denomination's belief statement says the office of pastor is limited to men, but there remain disagreements over whether this applies only to the lead pastor or to assistants as well. In recent years, the convention began purging churches that either had women as lead pastors or asserted that they could serve that role. But when an SBC committee this year retained a South Carolina megachurch with a woman on its pastoral staff, some argued this proved the need for a constitutional amendment. (The church later quit the denomination of its own accord.) The meeting comes as the Southern Baptist Convention continues its long membership slide, down 2% in 2024 from the previous year in its 18th consecutive annual decline. The organization now reports a membership of 12.7 million members, still the largest among Protestant denominations, many of whom are shrinking faster. More promising are Southern Baptists' baptism numbers — a key spiritual vital sign. They stand at 250,643, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and, at least for now, reversing a long slide.
The National
a day ago
- The National
Freedom Flotilla gives statement as Israel 'illegally seizes' Madleen
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition spoke through its Telegram channel after its ship the Madleen was captured by Israel. The 12 people on board – including Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and Al Jazeera correspondent Omar Faiad – have been imprisoned. The Madleen had been sailing under a UK red ensign, meaning it was under UK jurisdiction in international waters, when Israel attacked it. The move has been described as a 'clear breach' of international law by the Turkish government, while the UK's has remained silent. READ MORE: UK Government sends spy plane over Gaza as Freedom Flotilla ship threatened by Israel The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said: 'It's time for our governments to do their jobs and sanction Israel. Its illegal attack on 'Madleen' while sailing in international waters is a small extension of their war crimes in Gaza. 'Governments, institutions, media, and corporations must stop protecting Israel, now. They must stop prioritising profit over human lives, now. 'Protect our volunteers while protecting Palestinians in Gaza and wider Palestine.' On the abduction of MEP Hassan, the group said it was 'not only an attack on civilians, but a direct assault on international law, parliamentary immunity, and the principle of free humanitarian access'. It went on: 'Israel must be held accountable. The European Parliament must formally demand her immediate release and Israel's legal accountability. 'This interception is a direct result of the international community's ongoing failure to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes. Activists pictured on the Madleen, which was sailing under a UK flag (Image: Freedom Flotilla) 'A state currently on trial for genocide must not be allowed to dictate whether life-saving aid reaches the very people it stands accused of trying to destroy.' The Freedom Flotilla Coalition pointed to the 2010 raid on their ships by the Israeli military, which also occurred in international waters and left 10 volunteers dead. The group said: 'No state has the authority to enforce an unlawful blockade, especially one whose primary purpose is to starve civilians and obstruct humanitarian relief. 'Israel's threats and attacks against peaceful ships like 'Madleen', carrying essential aid and international human rights defenders, are part of its broader pattern of impunity and disregard for international norms.' The unlawful seizure of the Madleen The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said of the boat seizure: 'At 3:02AM EEST, 110 nautical miles from Gaza, the 'Madleen' was illegally boarded by the IOF [Israel Occupation Forces] in international waters. 'Prior to their abduction, quadcopter drones flew in close range before attacking the 'Madleen' with a white chemical-like substance, harming their eyes. Signals were jammed, and disturbing audio was broadcast to interfere with communication over the radio system as the IOF boarded. 'Our volunteers were attacked and taken against their will while sailing lawfully toward Palestinian territorial waters, where Israel has no right to control. 'The 'Madleen' has reportedly been seized, and our aid, including baby formula, food, and medical supplies, has also been taken.' CCTV image shared by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (Image: FFC) Sharing security footage timestamped 2:02AM, the group added: 'This is the last moment that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ground team saw their friends, comrades and family members while they were being illegally intercepted, boarded and abducted by the Israeli military. Their whereabouts remain unknown. 'At this time, we are urgently working to locate the 11 international volunteers and one journalist abducted from 'Madleen'. 'According to the Israeli Immigration Authority, they are not yet in its custody. FFC lawyers in occupied Palestine have repeatedly contacted Israeli military officials, but are yet to receive any response to inquiries since the early hours of the morning.' Who is on board the Madleen? There are twelve civilian crew members on board the ship, which is flying the UK flag. The crew members are: Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate and social justice activist Baptise Andre, French physician Omar Faiad, French journalist with Al Jazeera Reva Viard, French climate activist Rima Hassan, French member of the European parliament, representing La France Insoumise party Yanis Mhamdi, French journalist with independent media outlet Blast Pascal Maurieras, French activist Suayb Ordu, Turkish activist Marco van Rennes, Dutch marine engineering student Sergio Toribio, Spanish crew member, a member of marine conservation NGO Sea Shepherd Thiago Avila, Brazilian journalist, social activist and politician Yasemin Acar, German activist of Kurdish descent Israel's statements Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said the Madleen was being taken to the port of Ashdod, which is around 17 miles north of Gaza. Katz said: "I congratulate the IDF for the quick and safe takeover of the 'Madleen' flotilla to prevent them from breaking the blockade and reaching the shores of Gaza. "I instructed the IDF to show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre when they arrive at the port of Ashdod. "It is appropriate that the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organisation they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself. "The IDF will continue its war against the Hamas murderers with all its moral righteousness until they are subdued, all the hostages are released, and the security of the State of Israel is ensured." Separately, Israel's foreign ministry called the boat a "selfie yacht' and claimed the "show is over". All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 It went on: "While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza. "There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies. Israel is preparing to hold the 12 unlawfully detained activists in separate cells in Givon Prison in Ramla, media in the country is reporting. The far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is said to have ordered officials to block the detainees from having any pro-Palestine symbols or access to any electronic communications equipment.
Metro
5 days ago
- Metro
Have you got nudes? What tourists need to know before going on holiday to the US
Thinking of visiting the US? You might want to delete the nudes on your camera roll before you go — that's if you don't want a border control officer looking at them, anyway. Under Trump's recent 'enhanced vetting' executive order, travellers are being reminded that border agents can – and do – search phones and laptops. Scrutiny is ramping up big time at the US border, with some being denied entry and even detained due to their digital content. On Wednesday, the US president resurrected a controversial travel ban from his first term in the White House: a proclamation that bans citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States. It's not something any of us want to think about before a holiday, but if you are stopped by a border agent, what are your rights? And do you have to hand your phone over? Metro asked the experts. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Yes, and they don't need a warrant to do so. CBP agents have the legal authority to search electronic devices at the border: that's phones, laptops and tablets. This includes reviewing text messages, social media activity, photos, emails and even your browser history. In March, an unnamed French scientist was denied entry to the States after airport immigration officers searched his phone and found messages critical of the Trump administration. Last month, Turkish-American streamer Hasan Piker claimed he was detained and questioned for two hours by US Customs and Border Protection agents at Chicago's O'Hare Airport after returning from France. He said agents interrogated him about his political views, including his stance on Trump and Gaza. Piker said the questioning felt 'deliberate'. The searches are intended to verify identity and assess any potential security risks. But the fact is, if you've got nudes anywhere on your phone, they can be found, even if accidentally. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video However, immigration lawyer Dr Jennifer Obaseki tells Metro that concerns are growing about the right to privacy. She asks: 'At what point does the US government feel they can overstep in restricting non-citizens' freedom of political expression, and therefore take that additional step to deny entry? It feels like a stretch on the authority they have, if not an abuse of power.' Dr Obaseki also notes that many of the people who have been interrogated or turned away at the US border have been vocal about the Trump administration and Gaza. The Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution protects people from random and arbitrary stops and searches. However, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the federal government claims the power to conduct certain kinds of warrantless stops within 100 miles of the US border. So, if you have anything NSFW on there, you might want to think about clearing it up. Technically, no. But what happens afterwards depends on your immigration status. US citizens and lawful permanent residents cannot be legally denied entry if they refuse to unlock their devices. Non-citizens, including tourists and visa holders, may be refused entry if they don't provide access to their device. And Dr Obaseki says this is more likely than not. 'Non-US citizens who are denied entry will typically be immediately removed. If it's in relation to digital content, though, the officer dealing with you would have to justify the decision,' she says. 'They have to give you a reason – whether they feel that you or the content that you hold shows that you have an intention to cause some kind of security risk, or because of any criminal history. If you don't have a criminal history, they have to consider you or your content as a risk.' If you agree to hand over your phone, the ACLU recommends that you enter your password yourself. Turning off Face ID or fingerprint beforehand can help protect your privacy, too. According to Dr Obaseki, if you have anything questionable on your phone, leave it at home. Simple as. You can always have your phone sent to you, or load your content in the cloud, and use a basic device during your time in the US. 'It's better to have yourself through customs and immigration, rather than have questions and challenges at immigration,' Dr Obaseki says. British travellers must also make sure they have an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which is permission to enter the US, before travel. And Dr Obaseki warns there is no formal appeal process for visa denials. However, there are preparations you can put in place to make potential challenges easier. 'At the point of entry, have someone on standby,' she advises. Meaning, if you're going to be landing and you have someone in the US expecting you, ask them to meet you at the airport. If you provide border agents with the password of your device – or if you don't have one – they can conduct an immediate 'basic search'. This usually means browsing through your texts, photos, apps and social media posts. The ACLU says they might also download the full contents of your device and save a copy of your data. Agents have been required to return your device before you leave the airport since 2018. They could, however, choose to do an 'advanced' or 'forensic' search. This is when they hold onto your device for five days to conduct a thorough search. Agents can keep it for longer due to 'extenuating circumstances', when the period is extended by seven days each time. The ACLU says they have received reports of phones being held for weeks and even months. Should you leave the airport or other border checkpoint without your device, the ACLU advises getting a receipt. This will include information about your device and contact information to follow up. If your denial is linked to digital content or social media associations, Dr Obaseki says you have to think carefully. 'Ask yourself, if somebody has made a decision and made notes about me, who else is going to see them? How long are they going to be stored on my record?' She stresses that there could be a knock-on effect on future travel. Plus, there's no real transparency on how the content taken is going to be used against you. For example, what if a family member goes travelling, will they connect that person to you, and subsequently deny them entry? Dr Obaseki repeats: 'The basis for which the searches are being made must be properly written down so that they can be challenged if they're wrong. If you're denied entry due to being at a university where there was a particular demonstration, for example, that doesn't mean you were automatically associated.' In relation to your online presence, the expert says that the US Department of State, which handles visas and immigration abroad, are now working with social media companies to conduct these screenings. 'Before you go about getting your visa application, they are looking at your handles to find whether you should be allowed to come in,' she explains, adding that this expanded screening is going to step up more in June. 'The justification for that is because Trump has said he is going to be tough on immigration,' she adds. With more reports of travellers being questioned, turned away or detained at US airports, many are thinking twice about visiting. Dr Obaseki says we are likely to see more refusals over the next couple of months, and until the end of the Trump administration. 'We'll then have more cases which we can vet and analyse, and then use to advise people,' she says. According to a recent study by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the US is projected to lose around $12.5 billion (£9.4 billion) in international travel spending this year, largely due to concerns over increased security. Many are opting out of visiting, citing fears of invasive searches, the possibility of being refused entry or being detained at the border. More Trending Still, the US is set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico, a major draw which is predicted to bring in millions of tourists. However, easing airport security measures doesn't seem to be on the cards ahead of the event. Vice President JD Vance recently joked about deporting football fans who overstay their welcome at a recent press conference for the World Cup. ]'We'll have visitors from close to 100 countries. We want them to come,' he said. 'But when the time is up, they'll have to go home.' The ACLU advises taking precautions to ensure travelling goes as smoothly as possible, when it comes to keeping your devices safe. Here are some of the tips outlined on its website: Let officers know if you have privileged material on your device Travel with as little data and as few devices as possible Encrypt devices with strong and unique passwords and shut them down when crossing the border Store sensitive data in end-to-end encrypted cloud-storage account and remove any sensitive data from your device Upload sensitive photos on your camera to your password-protected laptop or a cloud storage account Keep devices off. If you must turn them on, ensure that they are in airplane mode, with both WiFi and Bluetooth disabled Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Trump warns that Putin wants revenge for Ukraine's drone attacks MORE: Expert reveals clues that Trump and Musk's relationship was doomed from the start MORE: Women who have a miscarriage in West Virginia could be prosecuted
