Istanbul quake aftermath: Schools, universities shut down
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Turkiye announced the suspension of classes in public and foundation-run schools and universities across Istanbul for the next two days due to the aftermath of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake.
Turkish Education Minister Yusuf Tekin noted on X that no damage or incidents had been reported in schools, adding, “Schoolyards will remain open to all citizens.”
The Head of Turkiye’s Council of Higher Education, Erol Özvar, stated in a televised address that classes at public and foundation universities in Istanbul would be suspended on Thursday and Friday. The Istanbul Governor’s Office also announced administrative leave for pregnant employees, mothers with children under the age of ten, and persons with disabilities working in public institutions on the same days, excluding those in health and security services.
İstanbul’da meydana gelen deprem nedeniyle çok şükür ki üniversitelerimizde herhangi bir olumsuzluk yaşanmamıştır. İstanbul’daki tüm yükseköğretim kurumlarımız Perşembe ve Cuma günü tatil edilmiştir. Tüm milletimize tekrar geçmiş olsun dileklerimi iletiyorum.
— Erol Özvar (@erolozvar) April 23, 2025
The earthquake struck at 12:49 p.m. local time (09:49 GMT), followed by dozens of aftershocks. Officials reported that 151 people were injured, most of them while attempting to flee buildings in panic. No fatalities have been reported.
