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A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Istanbul on Wednesday, sparking widespread panic across the Turkish metropolis, officials reported.
The quake’s epicentre was located in the Sea of Marmara, near the town of Silivri – approximately 70 kilometres west of Istanbul.
According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), aftershocks continue to be felt in the region.
Authorities confirmed that while there were no reported fatalities, at least 151 people were injured, many as a result of leaping from buildings in a panic.
The tremor hit during a live broadcast by CNN Turk, where anchor Meltem Bozbeyoğlu could be seen reacting as the studio visibly shook on air.
Turkey 6.2 – and swarm of earthquakes in last two hours around the 10km depth. Cleaning operation. pic.twitter.com/IFeU3TZSkZ
— CathStar15 (@Theragem1) April 23, 2025
Turkey suffered a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake in February 2023. That quake struck near Nurdagi in Gaziantep province, killing tens of thousands and marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country’s recent history.
Istanbul, a city of around 16 million people, sits alarmingly close to the North Anatolian Fault – a major fault line that runs just 20 kilometres south of the city, beneath the Sea of Marmara.
Historically, this fault has caused several catastrophic earthquakes, including the 1999 Izmit quake, which registered a magnitude of 7.6, claimed over 17,000 lives, and left half a million people homeless.
Experts continue to warn that Istanbul’s dense population and ageing infrastructure make it particularly vulnerable to future seismic events, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive disaster preparedness.
[Source: CNN]
