More than 150 people were injured in Istanbul on Wednesday after leaping from buildings in panic as a powerful earthquake, measuring 6.2 in magnitude, shook the city. Thankfully, none of the injuries were critical.
The epicenter of the quake was located near Silivri, about 80 km west of Istanbul, at 12:49 p.m. local time. The tremor caused widespread fear, prompting many people to gather in parks or take refuge on the streets as aftershocks continued to ripple through the city.
“I ran straight to my dog in fear, hugged it, and we waited on the ground until it ended,” said Neslisah Aygoren, an Istanbul resident. “After that, we took our belongings and went straight to the street.”
Authorities reported that 151 people received medical treatment after jumping from buildings, though no one suffered critical injuries. An abandoned building in central Istanbul collapsed, but there were no casualties from that incident.
No damage to essential infrastructure, including energy or water systems, was reported. However, some shops closed as a precaution.
The tremor reignited memories of past earthquakes, including the 1999 earthquake that killed 17,000 people near Istanbul, and the devastating 2023 quake that claimed over 55,000 lives in southern Turkey and northern Syria.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is monitoring the situation and issued guidelines on how to respond to further seismic activity. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu confirmed that no damage was found to the city’s transportation infrastructure, including highways, airports, and public transit.
The earthquake’s depth was reported at 6.92 km, according to Turkey’s AFAD disaster agency.
