6.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Western Turkey, Causes Fatalities, Injuries, and Building Collapses

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale struck the Balikesir province in northwestern Turkey on Sunday evening, leading to a tragic outcome. Turkey’s Minister of Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, confirmed the death of an 81-year-old woman in the town of Sındırgı, the epicenter of the quake.

In an initial report, the minister added that 16 buildings completely collapsed due to the violent tremor, resulting in 29 people sustaining injuries of varying severity. The earthquake was felt across a wide area, with the shaking reaching major cities like Istanbul and Izmir, causing panic among residents.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the earthquake occurred at 19:53 local time (16:53 GMT). Images from Sındırgı showed the extent of the destruction, with large buildings reduced to piles of rubble and debris, along with large quantities of twisted metal.

In an immediate reaction, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extended his wishes for a speedy recovery to all those affected, confirming that recovery and rescue efforts are being closely monitored. He wrote on X: "May God protect our country from all evil," highlighting the gravity of the situation. The Turkish disaster management agency also reported seven subsequent aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 3.5 to 4.6.

This disaster occurs in a seismically active region, as Turkey is situated at the intersection of three major tectonic plates. The event brings back memories of the devastating earthquake that hit the southeastern part of the country in February 2023, which claimed the lives of at least 53,000 people in Turkey and 5,000 others in neighboring Syria, leaving hundreds of thousands still displaced. Turkey also experienced another earthquake of magnitude 5.8 in early June, which resulted in the death of a girl and 69 injuries in the southwestern part of the country.