Istanbul shaken by 5.0-magnitude earthquake, no major damage reported

A 5.0-magnitude earthquake rattled buildings in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Thursday, sending some people rushing out into the streets, Reuters witnesses and the AFAD disaster and emergency authority said. 

There were no immediate reports of serious damage in the city of 16 million people, the Istanbul Governor's office said on X, adding that its field teams had begun inspections. 

The earthquake occurred at 2:55 p.m. (1155 GMT) in the Marmara Sea, southwest of Istanbul and near the coastal town of Marmaraereglisi, along a geological faultline long regarded as a risk for the city. 

In April, more than 150 people were injured when they jumped from buildings after a 6.2-magnitude quake in Istanbul, marking one of the city's strongest tremors in years. 

 

Two years ago 

Turkey suffered the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in its modern history. That 7.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 killed more than 55,000 people and injured more than 107,000 in southern Turkey and northern Syria.