Daijiworld Media Network - Istanbul

Istanbul, Oct 28: At least 19 people were injured after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey’s western province of Balikesir late Monday night, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said most of the injuries occurred as people panicked and jumped from buildings. Of the injured, 15 remain hospitalized for treatment.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that emergency services received 504 calls, including 25 reports of structural damage. “Each report is being carefully evaluated,” he stated, adding that three unused buildings and a shop had collapsed but no fatalities were recorded.

Authorities have urged residents to stay away from damaged structures while inspection teams continue field assessments. Many people spent the night outdoors, and schools and mosques were opened as shelters for those displaced.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the quake struck Sindirgi district at 10:48 p.m. local time (1948 GMT) at a shallow depth of 5.99 kilometers. The tremor was felt strongly across nearby provinces, including Istanbul, Bursa, and Izmir.

As a precaution, flights were temporarily halted at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport for runway safety checks. Television footage showed residents rushing into the streets as buildings shook.

This latest quake follows several strong tremors in Turkey this year. In August, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake in the same region killed one person and injured 29. In April, a 6.2-magnitude quake near Istanbul injured more than 150 people, mostly due to panic-related falls.

Turkey sits on two major fault lines, making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions. The country is still recovering from the catastrophic February 2023 earthquake, which claimed over 53,000 lives in Turkey and 6,000 in neighboring Syria, while leveling tens of thousands of buildings across the south.