Ankara: A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the town of Sindirgi in western Turkey on Sunday evening, killing one person and injuring dozens, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The quake, which hit at 7:53 pm (1653 GMT), was felt across multiple cities in the west, including Istanbul and the tourist hub of Izmir.
Casualties and Damage
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said an 81-year-old person died shortly after being rescued from the rubble of a three-storey building in Sindirgi, the epicentre of the quake. At least 29 others sustained injuries, though none were reported to be critical.
The tremor caused 16 buildings to collapse in Sindirgi and the surrounding areas, four of which were inhabited. Several people were pulled alive from the debris, with search-and-rescue operations still underway late into the night.
Government Response
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a statement wishing a swift recovery to all affected and said that recovery efforts were being closely monitored.
“May God protect our country from any kind of disaster,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The interior minister later confirmed that search-and-rescue operations have now concluded and that there were no further signs of serious damage or casualties.
Scenes from Sindirgi
Photographs from the quake zone show large buildings flattened and towering piles of twisted metal and debris. AFAD said 319 first responders were deployed, and around 20 aftershocks measuring between 3.5 and 4.6 magnitude followed the main tremor.
Earlier, Mayor Serkan Sak confirmed that four people had been rescued from the three-storey building, while efforts to free two others were ongoing.
AFAD said 319 first responders were deployed to the affected areas. The main shock was followed by around 20 aftershocks, measuring between 3.5 and 4.6 in magnitude.
Turkey sits on multiple geological fault lines and is highly prone to earthquakes. A February 2023 quake in the country’s southwest killed at least 53,000 people and devastated Antakya, the site of the ancient city of Antioch. More recently, a 5.8-magnitude tremor in July 2025 in the same region left one dead and 69 injured.
