Istanbul rocked: 6.2 magnitude earthquake rocks Istanbul
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Turkiye’s largest city, Istanbul, injuring over 150 people in panic-related incidents, officials said.
The epicenter was located in the city’s Silivri district, according to Turkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the quake occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time (09:49 GMT) at a depth of nearly seven kilometers. The tremor was felt strongly across Istanbul — home to more than 15 million people — and in surrounding provinces, prompting many to flee buildings in fear.
📍 Ankara • AFAD BaşkanlıkBugün saat 12.49’da Marmara Denizi, İstanbul Silivri açıklarında meydana gelen 6.2 büyüklüğündeki depremin hemen ardından saat 13.15 itibarıyla Türkiye Afet Müdahale Planı (TAMP) devreye alınmıştır.İçişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Sn.Münir Karaloğlu… pic.twitter.com/K0UQ0pYVog
— AFAD (@AFADBaskanlik) April 23, 2025
Two aftershocks, each measuring 4.9 in magnitude, were recorded in the Sea of Marmara off the coast of Buyukcekmece at 13:02 and 15:12 local time.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the quake lasted 13 seconds. The Istanbul Governor’s Office confirmed that 151 people were injured, most while attempting to flee buildings, and are receiving treatment in hospitals.
Marmara Denizi içinde bugün saat 12.49’da 6.2 büyüklüğünde bir deprem meydana geldi. Yerin yaklaşık 7 km derinliğindeki deprem toplam 13 saniye sürdü.Silivri açıklarına 24 km uzaklıkta olan deprem başta İstanbul olmak üzere civar illerde de hissedildi. Saat 15.12’ye kadar en…
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) April 23, 2025
The governor’s office urged residents to avoid damaged or potentially unsafe structures, limit vehicle use, and refrain from using mobile networks unless necessary.
According to the state-run Anadolu Agency, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that authorities were closely monitoring the situation and that he had been briefed by key ministers and officials from AFAD. “Thankfully, there appears to be no troubling situation at the moment,” he added.
Turkiye is among the most seismically active countries in the world, situated atop two major fault lines.
6.2 Earthquake in #Istanbul, Turkey All networks are currently down, people are scared to go back to their homes There were 6 stronger aftershocks.#earthquake pic.twitter.com/zaktEnv1Qb
— climatenews (@climatenews__) April 23, 2025
The most devastating in recent history occurred on February 6, 2023, when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkiye and northern Syria, resulting in over 59,000 deaths and widespread destruction.
