Western Turkiye quake triggers over 200 aftershocks as two arrested
Istanbul
More than 200 aftershocks shook western Turkiye on Monday, hours after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the region, as authorities announced the arrest of a building owner and contractor.
The AFAD disaster control agency said it had recorded 237 aftershocks, 10 of them with a magnitude of at least 4, with epicentres in Balikesir province. Tremors continued into the afternoon. Many residents spent the night outdoors or in their cars due to fears of further quakes, Turkish media reported.
The epicentres were located in the Sındırgıdistrict of Balikesir province, where at least one person was killed and 29 others injured in Sunday's main earthquake.
The quake struck at a depth of 11 kilometres, with tremors felt as far away as Istanbul and Izmir, more than 200 kilometres away.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 16 houses had collapsed.
Rescue work has now been completed, and inspections are under way to assess building damage, authorities said. Containers are being set up as temporary shelters.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç said the owner and the contractor of a three-storey building that collapsed had been arrested on suspicion of, among other charges, involuntary manslaughter.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Two killed in large explosion in north-western Syria
Beirut: At least two people have been killed in a large explosion near the city of Idlib in north-western Syria, officials said on Thursday. Four others were injured, according to the local health authority. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor which obtains its information from a network of local informants, reported that four people had been killed in the incident, and two injured. Syrian civil defence said the cause of the explosion is not yet known, and that its workers at the scene are involved in a large-scale operation. Eyewitnesses spoke of several subsequent explosions. The Observatory said that the explosions occurred in a weapons depot belonging to foreign fighters. Drones were reportedly seen in the air at the time of the incident. (DPA)
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Estonia expels Russian diplomat over alleged subversive activities
Riga: Estonia has declared a staff member of the Russian embassy in Tallinn persona non grata and expelled him from the country over alleged subversive activities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tallinn said on Wednesday the chargé d'affaires of the Russian mission has been informed of the decision. 'The diplomat in question has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia, as well as in dividing Estonian society, contributing to the crimes against the state, including several offences related to sanctions violations,' Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement. An Estonian citizen has already been convicted in connection with these activities, the minister said. 'The Russian embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end and by expelling the diplomat,' Tsahkna added. (DPA)
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Turkiye targets opposition-led cities in new anti-corruption crackdown
Istanbul: Turkish investigators have intensified their anti-corruption campaign targeting municipalities governed by the opposition, arresting multiple officials in Istanbul and Antalya. In Istanbul, 13 people were arrested as part of the operations, with another 17 taken into custody in the southern city of Antalya, state news agency Anadolu reported on Tuesday. Those arrested include employees of city administrations and companies, confirmed the country's largest opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP). The suspects face charges including bribery, bid-rigging and membership in a terrorist organization. The arrests follow a series of similar actions targeting CHP politicians. (DPA)
