Turkey: Istanbul jolted by 5.3 magnitude earthquake, no casualties reported

ANKARA — A magnitude 5.3 earthquake jolted Istanbul, Turkey’s largest metropolis and financial center, on Thursday, prompting widespread panic in the province of more than 15 million people.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said no casualties or major damage have been reported so far since the quake, which was also felt in surrounding provinces, including Bursa, Yalova and Tekirdag.

The Istanbul governor's office said 12 people sought help for panic attacks, and five others were treated for sprains caused by the panic.

“AFAD and all relevant institutions have begun field inspections,” Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X.

The quake was centered in the southern Marmara Sea off the coast of Marmaraereglisi in Tekirdag at 2:55 p.m. local time, according to AFAD.

The Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute put the quake’s magnitude at 5.3, with the epicenter at a depth of around 12 kilometers (7 miles).

No casualties have been reported as of the time of publication, but CCTV footage showed residents in affected provinces rushing out of buildings in panic.

Primary and secondary schools were evacuated in Marmaraereglisi, the private Demiroren News Agency reported.

Air traffic at Istanbul’s airports was briefly halted to allow runways to be inspected, according to Demiroren.

Situated on a series of fault lines, Turkey frequently experiences deadly earthquakes. Most recently, more than 50,000 people were killed in the twin earthquakes, both measuring over magnitude 7, that struck southeastern Turkey on Feb. 6, 2023, impacting 11 provinces.