6.2-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Sea of Marmara Near Istanbul, Shaking Turkey’s Largest City and Sending Residents Fleeing to Streets
Istanbul, Turkey (Wednesday, October 11, 2023) – A powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake rattled the Sea of Marmara early Wednesday morning, with tremors felt across Istanbul, Turkey’s bustling metropolis of over 15 million people.
The quake, which struck at approximately 7:15 a.m. local time, prompted panic among residents, who poured into the streets in droves as buildings swayed and alarms blared.
According to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the epicenter was located about 70 kilometers south of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara, at a depth of around 10 kilometers.
While the earthquake was not immediately linked to any major structural damage, its intensity was sufficient to jolt the city awake, with reports of cracked walls, shattered windows, and minor disruptions to power and transportation networks.
Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, urged calm via social media, stating that emergency teams were on high alert and conducting rapid assessments.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as the ground shook for several seconds. “I was in my apartment when everything started trembling. Pictures fell off the walls, and I grabbed my family and ran outside,” said Ahmet Yilmaz, a 45-year-old resident of the Beyoglu district. “The streets were filled with people in their pajamas, holding children and pets.
It was terrifying.” Similar accounts emerged from other parts of the city, including the historic Sultanahmet area, where tourists and locals alike sought safety in open spaces.
The earthquake’s impact extended beyond Istanbul, with milder tremors reported in nearby provinces such as Bursa and Tekirdag.
No immediate injuries or fatalities have been confirmed, but authorities are monitoring for aftershocks, which are common in the seismically active region.
Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, addressed the nation in a brief press conference, emphasizing that the country’s early warning systems had functioned effectively, providing seconds of advance notice to some residents via mobile alerts.
This event serves as a stark reminder of Turkey’s vulnerability to earthquakes, situated as it is on major fault lines. The nation has a history of devastating quakes, most notably the 7.8-magnitude disaster in February 2023 that claimed over 50,000 lives in the country’s southeast.
Experts, including seismologists from Istanbul Technical University, have long warned that a major earthquake could strike the Marmara region, potentially affecting Istanbul’s densely populated urban core.
In response, the government has invested in retrofitting older buildings and improving disaster preparedness, but critics argue that more needs to be done to safeguard the city’s infrastructure.
As of Wednesday afternoon, schools and some businesses in Istanbul remained closed as a precautionary measure, with officials advising residents to avoid elevators and stay away from potentially unstable structures.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality activated its crisis management center, coordinating with national agencies to distribute updates and resources.
International organizations, including the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), have corroborated the earthquake’s details, reporting it as a “significant” event but not catastrophic.
Residents are being urged to follow official guidelines, such as preparing emergency kits and participating in drills, to mitigate future risks.
The situation is being closely monitored, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
For now, Istanbul’s resilient population is left to reflect on yet another reminder of nature’s unpredictability in this earthquake-prone corner of the world.