Türkiye mobilises disaster response teams due to earthquake No serious damage yet

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has noted that the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and other relevant agencies already initiated on-site inspections to assess the situation due to the earthquake.

He has provided an update on the earthquake that recently struck the country, confirming that no significant damage has been reported so far, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media. 

"So far, we have not received any emergency calls to 112 reporting collapsed homes or buildings," Yerlikaya stated, reassuring the public that authorities are monitoring the situation closely.

The Ministry of Health also released a statement, confirming that no negative reports have been received at the 112 Emergency Call Centre or local hospitals. 

"As a ministry, we are closely monitoring the situation in full coordination with all relevant institutions," the statement read. 

Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu also addressed the situation, confirming that initial inspections of the country's infrastructure revealed no damage to highways, airports, metro lines, or trains. "We have found no damage or disruptions to our transportation networks," he said. 

The Governor’s Office of Istanbul further reported that there have been no indications of structural damage within the city. Inspection teams are continuing to carry out thorough checks, but so far, there have been no major concerns. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) also issued a statement, emphasising that no serious incidents have been reported in the city. 

"At this time, we have no information indicating any major consequences from the earthquake in Istanbul. Our senior IMM staff are working closely with the AKOM emergency response centre to manage the situation. We will provide updates as more information becomes available," the IMM statement says.

Earlier, AFAD 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.

The quake, which struck at 12:49 p.m. (GMT+3), 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 neighbouring provinces and as far away as Izmir, some 550 kilometres (340 miles) south of Istanbul. Authorities reported multiple aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 5.3.

By Naila Huseynova