On Sunday, the province of Balıkesir in Turkey experienced a magnitude 4.9 earthquake. The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported no damage to life or property. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 7.72 kilometers (4.8 miles) in the Sındırgı region of Balıkesir.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered prayers for the safety and wellbeing of the nation's citizens. The tremors were felt across several provinces, including the megacity of Istanbul. AFAD reported six aftershocks within the first hour, with one reaching a magnitude of 4.9. Residents were urged not to enter structures showing signs of damage.
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Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the search and rescue mission has concluded with no signs of significant damage or casualties. He reassured that power and water services were not disrupted. AFAD identified Sındırgı city as the quake's epicenter. Last month, the same area experienced a magnitude 6.1 earthquake, resulting in one death and nearly a dozen building collapses, injuring about 30 individuals.
Four people were rescued from the rubble of a collapsed house, with three discharged after hospital treatment, while one person succumbed to injuries. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that an 81-year-old man died after being rescued. Positioned on numerous fault lines, Turkey is highly susceptible to earthquakes.
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Turkey's metropolis of Istanbul, home to 16 million people, is notably prone to seismic activity. In February 2023, two magnitude 7.8 earthquakes claimed over 53,000 lives in Turkey and 6,000 in neighboring Syria. More than two years on, millions remain displaced from that catastrophe.
