Strong Quake Shakes Western Turkey’s Balikesir Province; 19 Injured, No Fatalities Reported

Istanbul: Panic gripped parts of western Turkey late Monday after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Balikesir province, injuring at least 19 people and damaging several structures. The powerful tremor sent residents rushing out of their homes as buildings swayed across multiple cities.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said the majority of the injuries occurred when people leapt from balconies or windows in panic. “Fifteen of the injured remain hospitalised, while others received outpatient treatment,” he said on social media platform X.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that emergency services received over 500 calls, including 25 reports of structural damage. “Each report is being evaluated carefully. So far, three unused buildings and a shop have collapsed, but thankfully there are no casualties,” Yerlikaya noted.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) reported that the quake struck Sindirgi district in Balikesir at 10:48 p.m. local time (1948 GMT), at a shallow depth of 5.99 kilometres, which amplified the shaking felt across the region. The tremor was felt as far away as Istanbul, Bursa, and Izmir, prompting temporary flight suspensions at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport for runway inspections.

Authorities have urged people not to re-enter damaged buildings, as aftershocks continue. Schools and mosques were opened overnight to shelter residents who preferred to stay outdoors. Television footage showed frightened citizens gathering in open spaces, some wrapped in blankets as emergency crews assessed damage.

The Balikesir region has experienced a series of quakes in recent months. In August, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake in the same area killed one person and injured 29 others. Earlier, in April, a 6.2-magnitude tremor in Istanbul left 151 people injured, most due to panic-related incidents.

Situated along two major fault lines, Turkey remains highly earthquake-prone. The memory of the February 2023 twin quakes—which killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey and another 6,000 in Syria—still looms large, underscoring the country’s vulnerability to seismic disasters.