Mukta Desh Desk: A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake has struck western Turkey, causing at least three buildings to collapse, officials said. 22 people were injured in the stampede. However, there were no immediate reports of fatalities. The Washington Post reported.
The second earthquake in less than three months hit the western Turkish city of Sindirgi. Several aftershocks were felt after the quake. These aftershocks were felt in Istanbul and the nearby provinces of Bursa, Manisa and Izmir.
No casualties were initially reported, but local authorities said several buildings had collapsed. At least three residential buildings and a two-story shop were among the collapsed buildings.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustawoglu said 22 people were injured in the stampede. Many people were afraid to return home after the quake.
Turkey’s emergency management agency AFAD said the earthquake struck at around 10:45 p.m. local time on Monday. Tremors were also felt in the country’s economic capital Istanbul and the tourist city of Izmir.
After the earthquake, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, “People were evacuated from three buildings and a shop after the earthquake. They later collapsed. However, no one was injured.”
Earlier, an earthquake of the same magnitude struck the city of Sindirgi on August 10. The city is located in the mountainous region of Turkey. Its distance from the city of Izmir is about 138 kilometers.
Turkey was hit by a devastating earthquake in February 2023. At least 53,000 people were killed. It caused extensive damage to the capital Ankara.
