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Shallow 6.1 Quake Rattles Western Turkey, Collapsing Weakened Buildings and Injuring at Least 19

Officials report panic-related injuries, with shelters available for residents.

Overview

  • Turkey’s disaster agency AFAD placed the epicenter near Sındırgı in Balıkesir at 10:48 p.m. local time and a depth of about 6 km, with multiple aftershocks following.
  • Officials said at least three unoccupied buildings and a two‑storey shop in Sındırgı collapsed; the structures had been damaged in an earlier quake.
  • Authorities reported 19 to 22 injuries, largely from panic-related falls and jumps, and said no deaths had been identified as assessments continue.
  • The shaking was widely felt across western provinces, including Istanbul, İzmir, Bursa and Manisa, and was reported as far as Greece’s island of Lesvos.
  • AFAD and local teams launched field surveys and opened mosques, schools and sports halls for shelter, while international agencies logged slightly differing parameters (USGS M6.0 at ~10 km; EMSC M6.1 at ~6 km); local reports said flights at Istanbul’s airports were briefly paused for runway checks.