Istanbul shaken by 266 aftershocks following 6.2 magnitude earthquake

Istanbul has experienced 266 aftershocks following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on April 23.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the tremors, which originated off the coast of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara at 13:49 local time, triggered a series of subsequent seismic activities, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media.

By 09:00 today (April 24), a total of 266 aftershocks had been recorded.

Out of these aftershocks, 258 had a magnitude ranging from 0 to 4, seven were in the 4-5 range, and one tremor exceeded a magnitude of 5.

The depth of the earthquakes ranged from 6 to 15 kilometres beneath the surface.

To recall, on April 23, 2025, Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city, experienced a series of earthquakes, the strongest being a 6.2-magnitude tremor at 13:39 local time off Silivri in the Sea of Marmara. The quake, which lasted around 10 seconds, caused widespread panic.

Earlier in the day, a 3.9-magnitude quake occurred at 13:13, followed by 47 aftershocks within three hours. A total of 127 aftershocks were recorded, mainly around Silivri and Büyükçekmece, with depths ranging from 6 to 15 kilometres.

Despite the panic and one abandoned building collapsing in Fatih, no fatalities were reported. However, 236 people were injured, mostly from jumping from heights. Fortunately, essential infrastructure remained unaffected. President Erdoğan assured citizens that the government is monitoring the situation, with emergency services and transport functioning as normal.

By Aghakazim Guliyev