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A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey at 10:46 a.m. today, with its epicenter located in the Kale district of Malatya province. The earthquake had a focal depth of 10.07 kilometers, according to Turkey's Natural Disasters and Emergencies Agency (AFAD).
The tremor was felt primarily in the neighboring counties of Elazig and Diyarbakir, but its effects extended to Kahramanmaras, Erzincan, Tunceli, and Antijaman, causing widespread panic among residents.
Interior Minister Ali Gerlikaya reported on social media that three buildings have collapsed so far in the provinces of Elazig, Malatya, and Sanliurfa. He added that emergency response teams are conducting field surveys in the affected areas. “We are closely following the developments regarding the earthquake, which was also felt in neighboring provinces,” the minister said.
AFAD indicated that there have been 374 calls to the emergency telephone number 112, with 12 of those requests for assistance. The agency confirmed that four buildings have collapsed, but no fatalities have been reported.
The region is still recovering from twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 that struck on February 6, 2023, centered in Kahramanmaras. Those earthquakes flattened 13 provinces over an area larger than mainland Greece, marking the worst seismic event Turkey has faced in the past century.
Seismology professor Naji Gyorur stated that the earthquake in Kale was recorded on the East Anatolian Rift, which was largely affected by the 2020 Elazig earthquake. "Possibly today's earthquake is a result of the energy from the February 6, 2023 earthquakes being transferred to this fault. There is no concern," he added.
