ANKARA, Turkey — In the early hours of Tuesday, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake sent shockwaves through a coastal area in Turkey, stoking fear among the residents, as stated by authorities. The incident resulted in dozens of injuries, mainly as people leaped from windows or balconies to escape their homes, and tragically, a teenager lost her life at a hospital.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency reported the seismic event occurred at 2:17 a.m. with its epicenter located in the Mediterranean Sea, near the holiday destination of Marmaris. The tremors were strong enough to be felt in neighboring locales including the Greek island of Rhodes, startling many from their sleep.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya informed on social media platform X about the unfortunate passing of a 14-year-old girl at a hospital, attributing her death to a severe anxiety attack. It remains unclear whether the girl had any pre-existing health issues.
Approximately 70 people suffered injuries after hastily attempting to leave their homes by jumping from elevated positions in a state of panic, the minister elaborated. However, no significant structural damage to buildings has been reported in Turkey.
Over on Rhodes, the quake prompted both tourists and locals to vacate their accommodations temporarily, spending numerous hours outside until safety was assured. Local officials described the damage there as minor. This limited impact is attributed to the depth of the earthquake, approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) beneath the surface, according to Efthymios Lekkas, head of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization. Lekkas mentioned that despite its wide geographical spread, the quake was unlikely to have major surface impacts.
Turkey’s geographical location on top of significant fault lines makes it prone to frequent seismic activities. Earlier in 2023, a massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the region, resulting in the deaths of more than 53,000 individuals and wreaking havoc on tens of thousands of structures across 11 southern and southeastern provinces. In the aftermath of that event, an additional 6,000 fatalities were reported in northern Syria.