Latest news with #NationalSovereigntyDay
Malaysian Reserve
24-04-2025
- Climate
- Malaysian Reserve
Powerful 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Istanbul coast
ISTANBUL – Hours after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake shook Turkey's biggest city, sending panicked residents racing onto the streets, Istanbul remained on edge late Wednesday as a string of aftershocks continued to rattle nerves. As night fell and temperatures dropped, some could still be seen camped out in parks and open spaces, while hundreds of students went to seek shelter on the campus of Istanbul Technical University 'An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul,' Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, adding that it was felt in the surrounding provinces. The quake was followed by more than 120 aftershocks, some very powerful, the minister said, although there were no reports of major damage or serious injury. The initial quake struck at 12:49 pm (0949 GMT) at a depth of 6.92 kilometres under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, and lasted 13 seconds, he said. 'By 5:55 pm (1455 GMT), 127 aftershocks had occurred, the largest of which was 5.9 magnitude,' he said. As buildings shook, hundreds of people rushed onto the streets where many could be seen checking their mobiles for information or making calls. Others rushed to find safety in the city's handful of parks or other open spaces, AFP correspondents said. 'I just felt an earthquake, I've got to get out,' a shaken-looking decorator, who did not want to give his name, said while fleeing a four-storey apartment where he was working near the city's Galata Tower. 'We all panicked and just ran. There's absolutely nothing else we can do,' a street seller called Yusuf told AFP. CCTV footage collated by Turkey's DHA news agency showed the moment when the quake hit, with staff and customers seen bolting for the door in fast food outlets, restaurants and a barber shop, some falling over in their haste to get out. Istanbul governor Davut Gul said nobody had died in the quake or the aftershocks but confirmed that hospitals were treating '151 people injured when they jumped or tried to jump from a height in panic'. The injuries were not life-threatening, he added. An abandoned three-storey building in Fatih district collapsed without causing any injuries, he said. Schools and universities, which were closed on Wednesday as Turkey marked National Sovereignty Day, would remain closed until the weekend, the education ministry said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was 'following the developments closely'. The tremors could be felt in all of the provinces surrounding the Sea of Marmara, in northeastern Greece and three Greek islands off Turkey's western coastline, and as far away as the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, according to officials and AFP journalists. The quake hit 24 kilometres south of Silivri, a district on the megacity's western outskirts, which made headlines last month as the location where Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed over a graft probe his critics say is politically motivated. A number of students are also being held there, arrested for joining the mass protests that erupted over the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan's biggest political rival. None of them was hurt, the Parents Solidarity Network said on X. 'The earthquake in Istanbul was most strongly felt in Silivri but our children are fine. There is no problem at the prison,' the group wrote. Some of Istanbul's southern districts lie just 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the North Anatolian Fault. Many Istanbul residents are still haunted by memories of the last 'Big One' that struck part of the city in 1999. Around 20,000 people were killed in two massive quakes that devastated Turkey's densely populated northwest — including parts of Istanbul — three months apart in 1999 as the eastern strand of the fault line ruptured. Seismologists have calculated a 47-percent chance of an earthquake with a magnitude above 7.3 hitting Istanbul within 30 years. The last tremor to be felt in Istanbul was in mid November, when a quake caused brief panic but no damage or injuries. –AFP
CNA
23-04-2025
- Climate
- CNA
Powerful 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Istanbul coast
24 Apr 2025 01:27AM (Updated: 24 Apr 2025 01:33AM) ISTANBUL: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday (Apr 23), with its impact and that of multiple aftershocks forcing thousands out onto the streets in panic across Türkiye's largest city. The quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, some very powerful, the interior minister said, although there were no reports of major damage or serious injury. "An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, adding that it was felt in the surrounding provinces. The initial quake struck at 12.49 pm (0949 GMT) at a depth of 6.92km under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, and lasted 13 seconds, he said. "By 3.12 pm (1212 GMT), 51 aftershocks - the largest of which was 5.9 magnitude - had been recorded," he said. As buildings shook, people rushed onto the streets where crowds of worried-looking people stared at their mobile phones for information or made calls, an AFP correspondent said. "I just felt an earthquake, I've got to get out," a shaken-looking decorator, who did not want to give his name, said while fleeing a fourth-storey apartment where he was working near the city's Galata Tower. Istanbul governor Davut Gul said nobody had died in the quake or the aftershocks but confirmed that hospitals were treating "151 people injured when they jumped or tried to jump from a height in panic". People gather outdoors away from urban areas following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) The injuries were not life-threatening, he added. "There is no destruction to residential buildings in the city but an abandoned building collapsed in Fatih District without causing any deaths or injuries," the governor's office said on X. Footage posted by the state news agency Anadolu showed the minaret of a mosque in the Beylikduzu district just west of the historic peninsula swaying during the initial quake. But there were no reports of other buildings collapsing in the sprawling city of 16 million people, Yerlikaya told TRT public television. Schools and universities, which were closed on Wednesday when Turkey was marking National Sovereignty Day, would remain closed until the weekend, the education ministry said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was "following the developments closely". People gather outdoors following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) "We all panicked and just ran. There's absolutely nothing else we can do," a street seller called Yusuf told AFP. The tremors could be felt as far away as Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital Sofia. Silivri, on the megacity's western outskirts, has made headlines in the past month as the location where Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed after his arrest in a graft probe that his critics say is politically motivated. Also there are a number of students detained for joining the mass protests that erupted nationwide over the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan's biggest political rival. But no one was hurt, the Parents Solidarity Network said on X. "The earthquake in Istanbul was most strongly felt in Silivri but our children are fine. There is no problem at the prison," the group wrote. Some of the city's southern districts lie just 15 kilometres from the North Anatolian Fault, which is distinct from the equally active East Anatolian Fault. Türkiye's cultural and economic capital is home to up to 20 million people, many of whom are still haunted by memories of the last "Big One" that struck part of the city in 1999. Around 20,000 people were killed in two massive quakes that devastated Türkiye's densely populated northwest - including parts of Istanbul - three months apart in 1999 as the eastern strand of the fault line ruptured. Seismologists have calculated a 47-per cent chance of an earthquake with a magnitude above 7.3 hitting Istanbul within 30 years. The last tremor to be felt in Istanbul was in mid November, when a quake caused brief panic but no damage or injuries. Istanbul earthquake
CNA
23-04-2025
- Climate
- CNA
Istanbul hit with 6.2 earthquake
ISTANBUL: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday (Apr 23), with its impact and that of multiple aftershocks forcing thousands out onto the streets in panic across Türkiye's largest city. The quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, some very powerful, the interior minister said, although there were no reports of major damage or serious injury. "An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, adding that it was felt in the surrounding provinces. The initial quake struck at 12.49 pm (0949 GMT) at a depth of 6.92km under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, and lasted 13 seconds, he said. "By 3.12 pm (1212 GMT), 51 aftershocks - the largest of which was 5.9 magnitude - had been recorded," he said. As buildings shook, people rushed onto the streets where crowds of worried-looking people stared at their mobile phones for information or made calls, an AFP correspondent said. "I just felt an earthquake, I've got to get out," a shaken-looking decorator, who did not want to give his name, said while fleeing a fourth-storey apartment where he was working near the city's Galata Tower. Istanbul governor Davut Gul said nobody had died in the quake or the aftershocks but confirmed that hospitals were treating "151 people injured when they jumped or tried to jump from a height in panic". People gather outdoors away from urban areas following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) The injuries were not life-threatening, he added. "There is no destruction to residential buildings in the city but an abandoned building collapsed in Fatih District without causing any deaths or injuries," the governor's office said on X. Footage posted by the state news agency Anadolu showed the minaret of a mosque in the Beylikduzu district just west of the historic peninsula swaying during the initial quake. But there were no reports of other buildings collapsing in the sprawling city of 16 million people, Yerlikaya told TRT public television. Schools and universities, which were closed on Wednesday when Turkey was marking National Sovereignty Day, would remain closed until the weekend, the education ministry said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was "following the developments closely". People gather outdoors following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) "We all panicked and just ran. There's absolutely nothing else we can do," a street seller called Yusuf told AFP. The tremors could be felt as far away as Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital Sofia. Silivri, on the megacity's western outskirts, has made headlines in the past month as the location where Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed after his arrest in a graft probe that his critics say is politically motivated. Also there are a number of students detained for joining the mass protests that erupted nationwide over the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan's biggest political rival. But no one was hurt, the Parents Solidarity Network said on X. "The earthquake in Istanbul was most strongly felt in Silivri but our children are fine. There is no problem at the prison," the group wrote. Some of the city's southern districts lie just 15 kilometres from the North Anatolian Fault, which is distinct from the equally active East Anatolian Fault. Türkiye's cultural and economic capital is home to up to 20 million people, many of whom are still haunted by memories of the last "Big One" that struck part of the city in 1999. Around 20,000 people were killed in two massive quakes that devastated Turkey's densely populated northwest - including parts of Istanbul - three months apart in 1999 as the eastern strand of the fault line ruptured. Seismologists have calculated a 47-per cent chance of an earthquake with a magnitude above 7.3 hitting Istanbul within 30 years. The last tremor to be felt in Istanbul was in mid November, when a quake caused brief panic but no damage or injuries. Istanbul earthquake
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Turkey's opposition set to defy protest ban on Wednesday
Turkey's opposition set to defy protest ban on Wednesday (Credits: AP) Turkey's opposition has called on supporters to rally outside the parliament in Ankara on Wednesday in defiance of an official ban on gatherings on a symbolic day for the republic. A month after the arrest of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's biggest political rival -- the head of the main opposition CHP party said he would speak outside parliament as the country marks National Sovereignty Day . Ozgur Ozel, who was elected 18 months ago as head of CHP, which was established by the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, reiterated a call to join the rally in a post on X late Tuesday despite a government ban on gatherings. "April 23 cannot be banned. Our gathering in front of parliament and march to Anitkabir (Ataturk's Tomb) cannot be stopped," he wrote. "I invite all people of Ankara, especially young people and students, and everyone who will be in Ankara tomorrow, to come to parliament at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT), Turkish flags in hand. Sovereignty belongs to the nation!" Imamoglu, who is the CHP's candidate for the 2028 presidential race, also referenced the rally from his cell at Istanbul's Silivri prison, where he has been held on corruption charges since March 23. "I will watch this march for national sovereignty from prison. I will be at your side, marching with you," Imamoglu said on X. Imamoglu's arrest has triggered a wave of protests in Turkey's main cities primarily driven by young people.
Al Arabiya
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Turkey's opposition set to defy protest ban
Turkey's opposition has called on supporters to rally outside the parliament in Ankara on Wednesday in defiance of an official ban on gatherings on a symbolic day for the republic. A month after the arrest of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's biggest political rival — the head of the main opposition CHP party said he would speak outside parliament as the country marks National Sovereignty Day. Ozgur Ozel — who was elected 18 months ago as head of CHP, which was established by the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk — reiterated a call to join the rally in a post on X late Tuesday despite a government ban on gatherings. 'April 23 cannot be banned. Our gathering in front of parliament and march to Anitkabir (Ataturk's Tomb) cannot be stopped,' he wrote. 'I invite all people of Ankara, especially young people and students, and everyone who will be in Ankara tomorrow, to come to parliament at 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT), Turkish flags in hand. Sovereignty belongs to the nation!' Imamoglu, who is the CHP's candidate for the 2028 presidential race, also referenced the rally from his cell at Istanbul's Silivri prison, where he has been held on corruption charges since March 23. 'I will watch this march for national sovereignty from prison. I will be at your side, marching with you,' Imamoglu said on X. Imamoglu's arrest has triggered a wave of protests in Turkey's main cities primarily driven by young people.
