Newsroom
Istanbul was rocked by a powerful earthquake on Tuesday afternoon, shaking buildings and nerves across Turkey’s largest city. The 6.2 magnitude tremor struck just before 1pm local time and was felt across several provinces, triggering panic but—thankfully—no major damage or injuries so far.
The epicenter was in the Sea of Marmara, about 40km southwest of Istanbul. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake had a shallow depth of just 10km, which explains why it was so strongly felt in the city and beyond. It was preceded by a smaller 3.9 quake and followed by aftershocks, including one measuring 5.3.
People scrambled out of homes, schools, and offices, with many gathering in parks and open spaces. One person was reportedly injured after jumping off a balcony in panic. That’s the only serious injury reported so far.
Officials moved quickly to calm the public. “No serious cases have been reported,” the Istanbul Municipality said in a statement, though they urged people to stay away from older buildings, especially in densely packed districts like Kucukcekmece.
Public transport systems, highways, and airports were all inspected and declared safe. Still, traffic jams and confusion were widespread, as many Istanbul residents tried to get home or check on loved ones.
Tuesday’s quake came as a chilling reminder of the region’s vulnerability. Just last year, a catastrophic 7.8 magnitude quake in southern Turkey killed more than 53,000 people. While Istanbul escaped the worst of that tragedy, experts have long warned that the city—home to over 15 million people—sits dangerously close to major fault lines.
*With information from Sky News and al-Arabiya
