Baku: No Azerbaijani nationals reported injured in Türkiye earthquakes

No Azerbaijani citizens are known to have been injured in the recent earthquakes that struck Türkiye.

Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the information, Caliber.Az reports.

To recall, on April 23, 2025, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Sea of Marmara, approximately 40 km southwest of Istanbul at 12:49 PM local time. The tremor was felt strongly across Istanbul and surrounding provinces, including Bursa, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Tekirdağ. According to the Kandilli Observatory, the quake lasted around 13 seconds, triggering widespread alarm.

No deaths were reported, but at least 359 people were injured, many during panic-induced escapes. One abandoned building collapsed in the Fatih district of Istanbul, and several others were damaged. More than 180 aftershocks followed, with the strongest recorded at magnitude 5.9. Authorities temporarily closed schools in Istanbul and Tekirdağ on April 24–25 as a precaution.

Emergency services swiftly responded, deploying over 3,500 personnel across affected areas, including 1,443 in Istanbul. Rescue operations were supported by 250 vehicles and 18 trained search dogs. Many residents spent the night outside, concerned about additional tremors.

The quake has renewed focus on Istanbul’s seismic vulnerability. The North Anatolian Fault beneath the Sea of Marmara is a known hazard, and experts have long warned of the potential for a much larger earthquake. Officials estimate 1.5 million buildings in Istanbul are at risk, with roughly one-third requiring urgent retrofitting or redevelopment.

By Aghakazim Guliyev