By Gloria Ogbonna
A powerful magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Turkey’s northwestern province of Balıkesir on Sunday, leaving one person dead, injuring at least 29 others, and causing significant structural damage across several towns and villages.
The tremor, centered in the district of Sindirgi, was strong enough to be felt nearly 200 kilometers (125 miles) away in Istanbul — a bustling metropolis of over 16 million people.
The quake struck without warning, sending residents scrambling into the streets in panic as buildings shook violently.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the elderly woman who lost her life had initially been pulled from the rubble alive but died shortly afterward due to her injuries. Four other people trapped in the same collapsed building were rescued by emergency teams.
Authorities reported that at least 16 buildings were brought down by the quake, most of them older, unused, or already structurally compromised.
Two mosque minarets also collapsed, underscoring the quake’s strength. Minister Yerlikaya emphasized that, despite the destruction, none of the injured were in critical condition.
Television footage from the scene showed emergency crews carefully sifting through debris as they called for silence, straining to hear any possible cries or movements from survivors beneath the rubble. In the background, residents stood anxiously, many wrapped in blankets, watching the rescue operations unfold.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) confirmed that the earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 4.6, raising concerns of further collapses. Officials have urged residents to avoid entering any damaged buildings until thorough safety inspections are conducted.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a statement on social media platform X, offering condolences and prayers for those affected. “May God protect our country from any kind of disaster,” Erdoğan wrote, adding that search-and-rescue and relief efforts were being fully mobilized.
The quake serves as a grim reminder of Turkey’s vulnerability to seismic activity. The country straddles several major fault lines, making it one of the most earthquake-prone nations in the world.
The memory of the catastrophic February 2023 twin earthquakes — one of which measured 7.8 in magnitude — remains fresh.
That disaster claimed more than 53,000 lives in Turkey, destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 provinces, and killed another 6,000 people in neighboring Syria.
As aftershocks continue to rattle the Balıkesir region, authorities are focusing on recovery, assessing damage, and ensuring that displaced residents have access to temporary shelter.
The coming days are expected to bring a clearer picture of the quake’s full impact, but for now, the province faces a tense period of uncertainty as rescue crews race against time.
Source ABC7