5 days ago
Western Turkiye quake triggers over 200 aftershocks as two arrested
dpa
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.
