Seismic activity persists in Türkiye as 4.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Aegean Sea

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake was recorded in the Aegean Sea on the morning of April 30, continuing a pattern of heightened seismic activity across Türkiye in recent days.

The earthquake occurred at 09:36 a.m. local time near the Datchi coast in the Mugla province, with the epicentre located offshore in the Aegean Sea.

According to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the tremor originated at a depth of 14.57 kilometres. No damage or casualties have been reported so far, Caliber.Az reports.

#DEPREM
Büyüklük:4.4 (Mw)
Yer:Ege Denizi - [130.48 km] Datça (Muğla)
Tarih:2025-04-30
Saat:08:36:25 TSİ
Enlem:35.665 N
Boylam:26.74611 E
Derinlik:14.57 km
Detay:https://t.co/b5ZX3fvHC5@afadbaskanlik @trthaber @anadoluajansi

— AFAD Deprem (@DepremDairesi) April 30, 2025

This event comes in the wake of a more powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the Sea of Marmara on April 23, off the coast of Silivri at 13:39 local time. That quake, which lasted approximately 10 seconds, triggered widespread panic in Istanbul and surrounding provinces. A smaller foreshock measuring 3.9 in magnitude had occurred just 26 minutes earlier, at 13:13, followed by a sequence of aftershocks.

In the hours and days that followed, AFAD confirmed a total of 127 aftershocks, with 47 occurring within the first three hours. The majority of the seismic activity was concentrated in and around Silivri and Büyükçekmece, with depths ranging between 6 and 15 kilometers.

The Silivri earthquake and its aftershocks left 236 people injured, most of whom sustained injuries while fleeing in panic—many by leaping from windows or balconies. One building in Istanbul’s Fatih district collapsed during the chaos, though no fatalities were reported.

Seismic tremors continued into the next morning. At 08:19 on April 24, a 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Büyükçekmece, again in the Sea of Marmara. That quake originated at a depth of 7 kilometers and was widely felt throughout the region.

Later on April 24, another earthquake was recorded in the southwestern province of Denizli. This tremor occurred in Pamukkale at a depth of 13.34 kilometers, further extending the sequence of quakes affecting multiple regions of the country.

On April 26, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Murat Kurum announced that inspections of 8,367 buildings had identified structural damage in 437 of them. On the same day, yet another quake—measuring 4.3 in magnitude—occurred near Istanbul. The epicenter of this tremor was located at a depth of 7 kilometers, adding to mounting public concern over Türkiye’s seismic exposure.

As aftershocks continue, authorities remain vigilant. AFAD has called on residents to stay alert, follow official safety guidance, and remain prepared for potential future seismic events.

 By Tamilla Hasanova