Public urged to heed safety warnings following earthquake in Istanbul

Türkiye’s Emergency and Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) has issued a strong warning to residents following a powerful earthquake that struck Istanbul and surrounding regions on April 23, urging citizens to avoid entering damaged buildings and to remain vigilant amid potential aftershocks.

“Do not enter damaged buildings in the area after the earthquake. Do not stay near dangerous buildings. Communicate via short message service (SMS) and online messaging software. Follow the warnings of official units,” AFAD advised in a statement posted on its official social media account on X, per Caliber.Az.

#Deprem sonrası bölgedeki hasarlı yapılara kesinlikle girmeyin.

🏚️ Riskli binaların çevresinde bulunmayın.

📱 Haberleşmelerinizi kısa mesaj servisi (SMS) ve internet tabanlı mesajlaşma yazılımları üzerinden yapın.

⚠️ Resmi birimlerin uyarılarını takip edin. pic.twitter.com/dNmnrGbjbH

— AFAD (@AFADBaskanlik) April 23, 2025

The quake, which struck at 12:49 p.m. local time, measured 6.2 on the Richter scale, according to AFAD. The epicentre was located in the Sea of Marmara, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of Istanbul, and the quake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

Although no immediate reports of widespread damage or fatalities were received in Istanbul, a city of over 16 million residents, the tremor sent panic through the streets and forced the cancellation of public holiday events, including children’s celebrations.

The earthquake was felt across neighboring provinces and as far away as Izmir, some 550 kilometers (340 miles) south of Istanbul. Authorities reported multiple aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 5.3.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya appeared on local television to confirm that, while there were no collapsed buildings reported, some structural damage had been noted in various locations.

In Istanbul’s historic Fatih district, home to iconic landmarks like the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, Mayor Mehmet Ergun Turan said there had been no reports of collapse or significant damage, though he confirmed that one individual sustained injuries after jumping from a window in panic.

Türkiye is no stranger to seismic activity. The country lies atop two major fault lines and experiences frequent earthquakes. Most recently, on February 6, 2023, a devastating magnitude 7.8 quake and a second powerful tremor hours later struck southern and southeastern provinces, resulting in the deaths of more than 53,000 people in Türkiye and an additional 6,000 fatalities in northern Syria. That disaster caused widespread destruction, leaving hundreds of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged.

While the April 23 quake did not lead to similar devastation, authorities remain cautious and continue monitoring the situation closely.

By Tamilla Hasanova