World

Powerful earthquake of 6.2 magnitude shakes Istanbul

No immediate reports of damage; people evacuated buildings as quake hit city

By Reuters
April 23, 2025
A street vendor sells Turkish national flags at Mahmutpasa street, a popular middle-class shopping district, in Istanbul, Turkiye, March 22, 2021. — Reuters
A street vendor sells Turkish national flags at Mahmutpasa street, a popular middle-class shopping district, in Istanbul, Turkiye, March 22, 2021. — Reuters 

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 shook Istanbul on Wednesday, Turkiye's AFAD disaster agency said, one of the strongest quakes to strike the city of 16 million in recent years.

There were no immediate reports of damage, but people evacuated buildings as the quake hit and shook the city, located on the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus strait.

The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 12:49 (0949 GMT) was in the area of Silivri, some 80 km (50 miles) to the west of Istanbul. It was at a depth of 6.92 km (4.3 miles), AFAD said.

Broadcaster TGRT reported that one person had been injured as a result of jumping off a balcony during the quake, which occurred during a public holiday in Turkey.

AFAD warned people in the region against entering damaged buildings.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said the earthquake had a magnitude 6.02. It was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles) GFZ said.