Istanbul was gripped by panic on Wednesday as a powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the city at midday, sending thousands of residents rushing into the streets while buildings shook and terrified screams echoed through the air.
The quake, which hit at 12:49 p.m. local time, reignited fears in a country still reeling from the devastating 2023 earthquake in southeastern Turkey. Positioned between two major fault lines, Turkey is highly prone to seismic activity, and experts have long warned that a major quake is overdue in Istanbul.
Although no fatalities were reported as of late afternoon, fear prompted many to leap from balconies. According to the local governor’s office, at least 151 people were injured in such incidents.
More than 50 aftershocks followed throughout the day, one of them registering a magnitude of 5.9. As a precaution, authorities announced a two-day closure of schools to shelter those too afraid to return home. Many residents chose to spend the night in parks and open areas.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the situation was under close watch. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking from the capital Ankara, assured that emergency services were on full alert. “Thank God, there is no serious issue so far,” he stated.
According to an initial assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck about 40 kilometers southwest of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara, at a depth of around 10 kilometers. The tremors were felt as far away as Bursa and the coastal city of Izmir, nearly 480 kilometers from the epicenter.
In Silivri, a suburb closest to the epicenter, television footage showed hospital patients being evacuated outside on beds and stretchers. Some media outlets speculated whether this quake might be a precursor to a more catastrophic event. Historical records indicate that Istanbul experiences a major earthquake approximately every 250 years, the last one having struck in 1766.
The quake disrupted celebrations for National Sovereignty Day, a public holiday in Turkey. Many residents, enjoying the spring weather outdoors, were caught off guard by the tremor.
Authorities urged people to stay away from potentially unsafe buildings. For many living in older structures, that meant avoiding their own homes.
“This issue should have been resolved long ago,” said Nur Inan, a 59-year-old tennis instructor, sitting on a bench outside her decades-old apartment building, with her cat by her side. “I’m deeply sorry that the state hasn’t addressed it,” she added, criticizing the city’s slow progress in strengthening its housing stock.
Over two-thirds of Istanbul’s buildings were constructed before the year 2000, prior to the implementation of modern safety codes. While the city has launched initiatives to renovate or rebuild outdated structures, critics argue that progress is far too slow given the seismic risk Istanbul faces.
