Latest news with #Yerlikaya
Morocco World
23-04-2025
- Climate
- Morocco World
Powerful 6.2 Earthquake Shakes Istanbul, Leaving Over 150 Injured
Doha – A strong earthquake measuring 6.2 magnitude struck off the coast of Istanbul on Wednesday, sending residents rushing into the streets in panic and resulting in more than 150 injuries, though no fatalities have been reported. The tremor occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time (09:49 GMT) in the Sea of Marmara near Silivri, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) west of Istanbul, according to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD). The quake had a shallow depth of approximately 7-10 kilometers. 'The quake lasted a total of 13 seconds,' said Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who added that 51 aftershocks have been recorded so far, the largest measuring 5.9 magnitude. 'Let's not let down our guard against possible aftershocks,' Yerlikaya warned on social media. Istanbul authorities confirmed that 151 people were injured 'due to panic, jumping from heights,' with the governor's office stating that 'their treatments are ongoing in hospitals, and they are not in life-threatening condition.' Residents described moments of intense shaking and confusion as buildings trembled throughout the city. Many reported being thrown off balance and initially struggling to comprehend what was happening as the tremor unfolded. The sudden nature of the event left people disoriented before they realized they were experiencing an earthquake. One abandoned building in the historic Fatih district partially collapsed, but no residential buildings suffered significant damage. The earthquake disrupted daily life as people evacuated buildings and gathered in parks, school yards, and other open spaces. Some residents even pitched tents in parks out of fear of returning to buildings. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the situation, saying, '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.' Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu confirmed that initial inspections revealed no damage to highways, airports, trains, or subways. The earthquake revived fears among Istanbul's 16 million residents who live in a seismically active region. Turkey sits at the junction of three tectonic plates—the Eurasian, Arabian, and African—making it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. This tremor comes just two years after Turkey's deadliest modern earthquake, when a 7.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 killed more than 50,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria. It also stirred memories of the 1999 earthquake near Istanbul that claimed 17,000 lives. Turkish seismologists have long warned that Istanbul is overdue for a major earthquake, noting that historically the city has experienced serious seismic events approximately every 250 years, with the last major Istanbul earthquake occurring in 1766. In response to these concerns, both national and local governments have launched urban reconstruction projects to fortify at-risk buildings and demolish structures in danger of collapse.
CNN
23-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes near Istanbul as scores injured in panic
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Istanbul on Wednesday leading to scenes of panic in the Turkish metropolis, officials said. The quake occurred in the Sea of Marmara close to Silivri, which lies around 70 kilometers (40 miles) to the west of the city, and aftershocks are continuing, according to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD). Istanbul authorities said there had been no loss of life but that 151 people were injured after 'jumping from heights due to panic.' No residential buildings were damaged, the authorities added, but one abandoned building collapsed in the central Fatih District. Turkey's interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said the quake lasted a total of 13 seconds at a depth of seven kilometers, with 51 aftershocks recorded so far, the largest of which was of 5.9 magnitude. 'Let's not let down our guard against possible aftershocks,' Yerlikaya said on X. Some 6,100 emergency calls were received, he added, most of which were information inquiries. CNN Turk anchor Meltem Bozbeyoğlu was live on air when the quake struck, with the studio visibly shaking on camera. In February 2023, Turkey experienced one of its deadliest earthquakes in the last century, when a 7.8 magnitude quake struck 23 kilometers (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi, in the southern Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers (14.9 miles). That quake also hit northern Syria, killing more 50,000 people across both countries. With two key fault lines in its vicinity – the North Anatolian and the East Anatolian – Turkey is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, a reality that has amplified concern over Istanbul's earthquake preparedness. Once the capital of the Byzantine and the Ottoman empires, the densely populated city is home to around 16 million people. It lies precariously close to the North Anatolian fault, which passes within 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) of Istanbul and through the Sea of Marmara, according to the Geological Society of London. Historically, that fault has led to several disastrous earthquakes, including a 7.6 magnitude quake that struck the nearby city of Izmit in 1999, killing over 17,000 people, and displacing an estimated 500,000 others. An earthquake occurs when the Earth's crust shifts abruptly, with energy radiated out as seismic waves and shaking that can violently impact people, buildings and infrastructure. Those waves and factors related to the shifting ground determine an earthquake's magnitude, as measured through 10 on the scale most commonly used to describe quakes. An earthquake that measures between 6 and 6.9 is classified as 'strong.' This story has been updated with additional developments.
New Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Powerful 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Istanbul coast
ISTANBUL: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday, with the impact felt across Turkiye's largest city where people rushed onto the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, officials said, but the quake was followed by at least eight others, Turkiye's AFAD disaster management agency said. "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 12.49pm (0949 GMT) at a depth of 6.92 kilometres under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, AFAD said. It was followed by eight others with magnitudes of 3.5 to 5.9. 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 earthquake, I've got to get out," a shaken-looking decorator said while rushing out of a fourth-storey apartment where he was working near the city's Galata Tower, who did not want to give his name. 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 any buildings collapsing in the sprawling city of 16 million people, Yerlikaya told TRT public television. "Until now, nobody's called the emergency line to report their house collapsing," he said, though the Istanbul governor's office warned people to avoid any structures that looked like they might have been damaged. Footage on Turkiye's NTV television showed one three-storey building collapsed in the Fatih district, also near the historic peninsula, with the broadcaster saying the building was empty and had been abandoned decade ago. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was "following the developments closely." "We all panicked and just ran. There's absolutely nothing else we can do," said Yusuf, a street seller. 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 it is where Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed after his arrest in a graft probe that his critics say is politically motivated. Also at the Silivri jail are a number of students detained for joining the mass protests that erupted nationwide over the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan's biggest political rival. Although they felt the quake, none were 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, no parent should worry," the group wrote. The last tremor to be felt in Istanbul was in mid-November, when a quake caused brief panic but no damage or injuries. Turkish and foreign seismologists agree that Istanbul is likely to be struck by major earthquakes in the coming decades given its location of less than 20 kilometres from the North Anatolia fault line. Around 20,000 people were killed in two massive quakes that devastated Turkiye's densely populated northwest – including parts of Istanbul – three months apart in 1999 as the eastern strand of the fault line ruptured.--AFP
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Powerful 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Istanbul coast
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday, with the impact felt across Turkey's largest city where people rushed onto the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, officials said, but the quake was followed by at least eight others, Turkey's AFAD disaster management agency said. "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 6.92 kilometres under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, AFAD said. It was followed by eight others with magnitudes of 3.5 to 5.9. 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 earthquake, I've got to get out," a shaken-looking decorator said while rushing out of a fourth-storey apartment where he was working near the city's Galata Tower, who did not want to give his name. 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 inial quake. But there were no reports of any buildings collapsing in the sprawling city of 16 million people, Yerlikaya told TRT public television. "Until now, nobody's called the emergency line to report their house collapsing," he said, though the Istanbul governor's office warned people to avoid any structures that looked like they might have been damaged. Footage on Turkey's NTV television showed one three-storey building collapsed in the Fatih district, also near the historic peninsula, with the broadcaster saying the building was empty and had been abandoned decade ago. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was "following the developments closely". - 'Nothing we can do' - "We all panicked and just ran. There's absolutely nothing else we can do," said Yusuf, a street seller. 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 it is where Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed after his arrest in a graft probe that his critics say is politically motivated. Also at the Silivri jail are a number of students detained for joining the mass protests that erupted nationwide over the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan's biggest political rival. Although they felt the quake, none were 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, no parent should worry," the group wrote. The last tremor to be felt in Istanbul was in mid-November, when a quake caused brief panic but no damage or injuries. Turkish and foreign seismologists agree that Istanbul is likely to be struck by major earthquakes in the coming decades given its location of less than 20 kilometres from the North Anatolia fault line. 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. bur-hmw/js
Int'l Business Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Powerful 6.2-magnitude Quake Hits Off Istanbul Coast
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday, with the impact felt across Turkey's largest city where people rushed onto the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, officials said, but the quake was followed by at least eight others, Turkey's AFAD disaster management agency said. "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 6.92 kilometres under the sea, which lies to the south of the city, AFAD said. It was followed by eight others with magnitudes of 3.5 to 5.9. 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 earthquake, I've got to get out," a shaken-looking decorator said while rushing out of a fourth-storey apartment where he was working near the city's Galata Tower, who did not want to give his name. 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 inial quake. But there were no reports of any buildings collapsing in the sprawling city of 16 million people, Yerlikaya told TRT public television. "Until now, nobody's called the emergency line to report their house collapsing," he said, though the Istanbul governor's office warned people to avoid any structures that looked like they might have been damaged. Footage on Turkey's NTV television showed one three-storey building collapsed in the Fatih district, also near the historic peninsula, with the broadcaster saying the building was empty and had been abandoned decade ago. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was "following the developments closely". "We all panicked and just ran. There's absolutely nothing else we can do," said Yusuf, a street seller. 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 it is where Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed after his arrest in a graft probe that his critics say is politically motivated. Also at the Silivri jail are a number of students detained for joining the mass protests that erupted nationwide over the move against Imamoglu, Erdogan's biggest political rival. Although they felt the quake, none were 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, no parent should worry," the group wrote. The last tremor to be felt in Istanbul was in mid-November, when a quake caused brief panic but no damage or injuries. Turkish and foreign seismologists agree that Istanbul is likely to be struck by major earthquakes in the coming decades given its location of less than 20 kilometres from the North Anatolia fault line. 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.
