ISTANBUL — Following a powerful earthquake that struck on Wednesday, accompanied by over 180 aftershocks, many residents of Istanbul spent the night outdoors, too afraid to return to their homes.
The 6.2 magnitude quake that hit around midday had a profound effect on the city, home to 16 million people. Though no severe damage was reported, the strongest tremor felt in recent years spread panic and resulted in scores of injuries.
The earthquake had a shallow depth of approximately 10 kilometers (about 6 miles), as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey, with its epicenter located 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara. Its tremors were felt across several neighboring provinces.
At least 236 individuals received medical treatment for injuries sustained while trying to escape buildings or due to panic attacks. The majority of these cases were in Istanbul, a city constantly on edge due to its high susceptibility to significant seismic activities.
In response, residents took to seeking safety by spending the night in their vehicles or erecting tents in parks and other open areas. As nighttime temperatures dropped, they lit campfires to stay warm. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, over 100,000 sought shelter in mosques, schools, dormitories, and government-operated community centers by Thursday.
Emriye Toklu, along with her family members, camped out in a tent at a nearby park, expressing their fear and reluctance to return home. “We’ll probably stay here for a long while because my children, my grandchildren won’t go back inside even though our home is close by,” she said.
Turkey is traversed by two major fault lines, making earthquakes a common occurrence. For many residents, memories remain vivid of the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6, 2023, which struck 11 provinces in southern and southeastern parts of the country, leading to more than 53,000 deaths and devastation of numerous buildings. An additional 6,000 fatalities occurred in the northern regions of neighboring Syria.
The Turkish disaster and emergency management agency, AFAD, reported that Wednesday’s quake was followed by 184 aftershocks, with seven registering a magnitude of 4 or higher. Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum mentioned receiving 378 reports concerning structural damage to buildings. As a precaution, 12 buildings had been evacuated.
Only one building, an old, long-vacant structure located in the historic Fatih district of the city, collapsed.
Germany’s GFZ seismological research institute noted that this was the most significant quake in the region in over a quarter-century, advancing the fault line towards Istanbul. The institute presented two potential scenarios: either the seismic activities may subside temporarily, or the stress induced by this earthquake could trigger a more devastating tremor.
According to the seismology center, “The area beneath the Sea of Marmara south of Istanbul is the only area along the entire plate boundary that hasn’t generated a strong earthquake in over 250 years and is therefore overdue for an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 7.4.”