One Killed in 6.1 Magnitude Earthquake in Northwestern Turkey

The quake, which Turkey’s AFAD disaster management authority said occurred at around 7:53 p.m., was felt in multiple provinces, including the country’s biggest city, Istanbul.

Yerlikaya said an 81-year-old person died after being rescued from rubble by emergency teams.

He said search and rescue operations were now concluded and that there were no other signs of serious damage or casualties.

AFAD said the quake struck at a depth of 11 km (6.8 miles), while the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) registered the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.19 and a depth of 10 km.

Since the main quake, with an epicenter in the town of Sındırgı, more than 250 aftershocks were recorded in the region, according to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

At least 10 of them were above magnitude 4, with the strongest, measuring 4.6, striking just eight minutes after the main tremor.

An elderly man died shortly after being pulled out alive from the debris of a collapsed building in Sındırgı, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters. Four other people were rescued from the building.

Ho noted that 1,100 search and rescue personnel were deployed and 50 teams formed for damage assessments.

Teams identified 1 collapsed building, 13 heavily damaged and 61 lightly damaged structures, according to Environment Minister Murat Kurum.