6.1-magnitude earthquake shakes western Turkiye
Shafaq News – Istanbul
A magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck Turkiye’s Balikesir province late Monday, with its epicenter in Sindirgi about six kilometers deep, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported.
According to AFAD, the tremors toppled three previously damaged and unoccupied buildings in Sindirgi. Two people were hospitalized after panic-related falls, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed.
Aftershocks, including one measuring 4.2, followed the main quake.
Sindirgi experienced a similar 6.1-magnitude earthquake in August that killed one person and injured several others.
Located along one of western Turkiye’s most active fault zones, Balikesir often endures moderate to strong seismic activity extending toward Istanbul and the Aegean coast.
Turkiye’s deadliest recent earthquake—a 7.8-magnitude tremor in February 2023—killed more than 53,000 people across 11 provinces and northern Syria, prompting a nationwide overhaul of building codes and renewed focus on seismic preparedness.
