Ankara (Udaipur Kiran)। A strong earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Türkiye’s Balikesir province late on Monday night, causing significant damage and widespread panic. Tremors were felt in Istanbul and several nearby cities, prompting residents to rush out of their homes as buildings shook violently.
According to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the quake occurred at 10:48 pm local time (1948 GMT) at a depth of 5.99 kilometres. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, several buildings collapsed due to the powerful tremors.
The national broadcaster TRT World reported that the impact was most severe in Balikesir’s Sindirgi district. The Kandilli Observatory measured the quake’s intensity at 6.0 and placed its depth at 11.4 kilometres. People in Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and Canakkale also reported feeling the tremors for nearly 30 to 40 seconds.
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on Türkiye’s social media platform that AFAD and other relevant agencies have begun inspections and are carefully reviewing field reports. Meanwhile, Türkiye Today newspaper reported that the quake lasted around 40 seconds in several major cities.
Minutes after the main quake, another tremor measuring 4.2 magnitude struck the same region at a depth of 7 kilometres, AFAD confirmed. Authorities said aftershocks are likely to continue in the coming hours.
Sindirgi Mayor Sak confirmed that multiple structures in the area have been damaged or collapsed, though detailed information is still being gathered. The region had also experienced an earthquake on August 10, and more than 12,000 tremors have been recorded there since then.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said all concerned agencies are closely monitoring the situation. Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu expressed condolences to those affected, adding that no adverse health emergencies have been reported so far.
Türkiye lies on major fault lines and has a long history of devastating earthquakes. Istanbul, the country’s largest city with a population exceeding 15 million, remains particularly vulnerable to seismic activity.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
