Istanbul Earthquake 2025: 6.2 Magnitude Quake Sparks Injuries and Aftershocks in Turkey
- Abeera Marium Siddiqui
- April 24, 2025
- 4:22 pm
- 52
- Trending
Istanbul earthquake 2025: The Istanbul earthquake 2025 hit the city on Wednesday afternoon, shaking buildings and scaring residents. The Turkish disaster agency AFAD said the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2 and happened at 12:49 pm local time. It started near Silivri, about 80 kilometers west of Istanbul, and the depth was around 7 kilometers.
People all over the city felt the shaking. Many ran outside their homes, offices, and shops. Panic spread quickly as aftershocks continued. Some shops closed, especially in the European side of Istanbul. Residents gathered in open spaces like parks, schoolyards, and parking lots to stay safe from falling buildings.
Authorities said there was no major damage, but at least 151 people were hurt. Most of them jumped from balconies or windows out of fear. Hospitals treated injuries like broken bones and bruises. Thankfully, no deaths were reported.
The earthquake was also felt in other cities, including Tekirdağ, Yalova, Bursa, and Balıkesir. People in Izmir, which is about 550 kilometers away, also felt the tremors. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the depth was about 10 kilometers below the Sea of Marmara.
Officials warned people to stay away from buildings with cracks or visible damage. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said there were more than 50 aftershocks. The strongest aftershock had a magnitude of 5.9. He also said the main earthquake lasted around 13 seconds. No buildings collapsed, but there were small cracks and minor damage in many places.
The earthquake happened on a public holiday. It was National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, and many families were outside. When the shaking started, people left buildings and stayed in open areas. Some families even set up tents in public parks to avoid sleeping indoors.
Eyewitnesses described scary moments. Leyla Ucar, a fitness trainer, was on the 20th floor during the quake. “We shook incredibly,” she said. “It threw us around. We couldn’t understand what was happening at first. It was very scary.”
Senol Sari was with his children at home when it started. “We immediately protected ourselves from the earthquake and waited for it to pass,” he said. “Of course, we were scared.”
Cihan Boztepe remembered the 2023 earthquakes in Batman. He said this one felt weaker. Still, he didn’t take chances. “At first we were shaken, then it stopped, then we were shaken again. My children were a little scared but I wasn’t. We quickly gathered our things and went down to a safe place. If it were up to me, we would have already returned home.”
President Tayyip Erdogan posted on X (formerly Twitter) saying that he was monitoring the situation. His office advised people on what to do in case of further quakes. “Thank God, there does not seem to be any problems for now. May God protect our country and our people from all kinds of calamities,” he said during an event.
The Istanbul earthquake 2025 reminded people of past disasters. In February 2023, a massive 7.8 earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria. That quake killed more than 55,000 people and injured over 107,000. Many people are still living in shelters.
This new quake also brought back memories of the 1999 Istanbul earthquake. That one killed more than 17,000 people. While the latest earthquake didn’t cause major destruction, it was a strong reminder of how risky Istanbul’s location is. The city sits close to dangerous fault lines.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said the magnitude was 6.02 and the depth was 10 kilometers.
