Strong earthquake hits western Turkiye
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 has struck western Turkiye, destroying a number of buildings near the epicenter, according to witnesses and local officials. Shaking was felt as far away as Istanbul and İzmir. The earthquake happened at 7:53pm on Sunday and was centered near Sındırgı in Balıkesir Province, about 51 kilometers southeast of Balıkesir, or 206 kilometers southwest of Istanbul.
Turkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.1, with a depth of 11 kilometers.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) put the magnitude slightly lower, at 6.0. There was no immediate word on the extent of the damage, but Sındırgı Mayor Serkan Sak said at least 10 buildings had collapsed in the area, with no word yet from villages in the district. He said several people were known to be trapped under rubble. Buildings also collapsed in Balıkesir. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), an estimated 31.8 million people may have felt Sunday's earthquake, including 228,000 people who may have experienced 'strong' to 'severe' shaking. The strongest shaking was in Golcuk, Bigadic, and Sindirgi.
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Strong earthquake hits western Turkiye
agencies A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 has struck western Turkiye, destroying a number of buildings near the epicenter, according to witnesses and local officials. Shaking was felt as far away as Istanbul and İzmir. The earthquake happened at 7:53pm on Sunday and was centered near Sındırgı in Balıkesir Province, about 51 kilometers southeast of Balıkesir, or 206 kilometers southwest of Istanbul. Turkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.1, with a depth of 11 kilometers. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) put the magnitude slightly lower, at 6.0. There was no immediate word on the extent of the damage, but Sındırgı Mayor Serkan Sak said at least 10 buildings had collapsed in the area, with no word yet from villages in the district. He said several people were known to be trapped under rubble. Buildings also collapsed in Balıkesir. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), an estimated 31.8 million people may have felt Sunday's earthquake, including 228,000 people who may have experienced 'strong' to 'severe' shaking. The strongest shaking was in Golcuk, Bigadic, and Sindirgi.
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