On April 23, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 struck the Sea of Marmara near the district of Silivri, which is part of Istanbul Province. According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the quake occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time. The epicenter was located at a depth of approximately 4.3 miles. The seismic event lasted about 13 seconds.
Many residents fled into the streets, rushing out of homes, offices, cafés, and other buildings in panic. According to official information from the Turkish Ministry of Health, a total of three hundred fifty-nine people were injured as a result of the quake. Some were hurt jumping from windows, others were injured in stampedes, and many sought medical attention due to panic attacks. One hundred seventy-three of the injured were in Istanbul, while the rest were from neighboring provinces.
The tremors were felt across a wide area, including in Istanbul, Tekirdağ, Yalova, Bursa, and Balıkesir. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change reported that damage was recorded in more than one thousand six hundred buildings, ranging from minor cracks to serious structural issues.
A prolonged series of aftershocks followed the main quake — more than four hundred were recorded, with magnitudes reaching up to five point nine.
The earthquake has renewed anxiety among the population, especially in light of the devastating February 2023 quakes, which had magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 and claimed nearly sixty thousand lives in Türkiye and Syria. Fearing additional tremors, many Istanbul residents spent the night outside — in cars, parks, mosques, and tents.
The seismic activity was also felt outside of Türkiye — in Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania.
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