Earthquake of magnitude 6 strikes off Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast

A magnitude-6 earthquake struck off the coast of Datça in the Mediterranean Sea early, according to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The quake was recorded at 02:51 local time, approximately 155 kilometres south of the Datça district in the Muğla province, Caliber.Az reports per AFAD.

It occurred at a depth of 20.41 kilometres beneath the seabed.

#DEPREM
Büyüklük:6.0 (Ml)
Yer:Akdeniz - [155.06 km] Datça (Muğla)
Tarih:2025-05-14
Saat:01:51:16 TSİ
Enlem:35.32889 N
Boylam:27.08167 E
Derinlik:20.41 km
Detay:https://t.co/j6pdobWu9U@afadbaskanlik @trthaber @anadoluajansi

— AFAD Deprem (@DepremDairesi) May 13, 2025

As a reminder, on April 23, 2025, at 12:49 p.m. local time, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck beneath the Sea of Marmara, approximately 60 kilometres southwest of Istanbul. The quake, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometres, lasted 13 seconds and was felt across the Marmara region, including Istanbul, Tekirdağ, Kocaeli, and Bursa provinces. 

The tremor caused widespread panic, leading to at least 359 injuries, many resulting from people jumping from buildings or falling during evacuation attempts. Structural assessments reported damage to over 4,200 buildings, with significant impacts in districts like Esenyurt and Bakırköy. One abandoned building in Fatih collapsed, though no fatalities were reported.

In response, authorities deployed more than 3,500 emergency personnel, 250 vehicles, and 18 rescue dogs to the affected areas. Schools in Istanbul and Tekirdağ were closed on April 24 and 25, and public spaces such as parks and mosques were converted into temporary shelters, accommodating approximately 100,000 residents overnight.

Moreover, on February 6, 2023, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Türkiye near Gaziantep, followed hours later by a 7.5-magnitude quake. The disaster devastated 11 Turkish provinces and parts of northern Syria, killing over 55,000 people and injuring more than 107,000. Approximately 15.73 million people were affected, with millions displaced.

The destruction of over 680,000 homes led to an estimated $84.1 billion in damages. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev