Powerful earthquake hits near Istanbul: authorities conduct safety checks

Sunday 10 August 2025 - 19:39

On Sunday evening, a strong earthquake measuring 6.1 in magnitude shook western Turkey. The tremor was felt across several provinces, prompting heightened vigilance from local authorities. The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Turkey (AFAD) reported that the earthquake occurred around 7:53 p.m. local time in Balıkesir province, near Istanbul, the country’s largest metropolitan area.

Initial information indicates that no official reports of casualties or major damage have been confirmed so far. However, videos circulating on social media show damaged or collapsed buildings in some areas, causing concern among residents.

AFAD specified that the earthquake took place at a relatively shallow depth of 11 kilometers. This was confirmed and slightly refined by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), which estimated a depth of 10 kilometers and a magnitude of 6.19. Such shallow depth explains why the tremor was widely felt.

Turkish authorities immediately mobilized emergency teams to conduct inspections around Istanbul and neighboring provinces. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that initial assessments had not revealed any critical situations.

However, the impact of the earthquake was not limited to Turkey alone. According to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), several neighboring countries—including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, the United Kingdom, and North Macedonia—also potentially felt the shaking.

This recent earthquake comes just months after another major quake in April, measuring 6.2 magnitude, which struck the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul. That event caused no casualties but triggered numerous aftershocks.

Turkey also remembers the devastating earthquake that hit the southeastern region in February 2023, which claimed over 53,000 lives and destroyed the historic city of Antakya. Neighboring Syria was also significantly affected by that disaster.

Given the geological vulnerability of the region, Turkey remains on high alert and continues to strengthen its prevention and response mechanisms, aware that its location in an active seismic zone regularly exposes its population to such natural risks.