Earthquake hits western Turkey

Photo: depositphotos

The magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck on Monday, with the epicenter in the town of Sindirgi in Balikesir province, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency. The tremors struck at 10:48 p.m. local time and were centered at a depth of less than six kilometers.

According to the interior minister, at least three buildings and one shop collapsed in the town of Sindirgi. The state-run Anadolu Agency was informed by the Sindirgi district administrator that there were no serious injuries.

Private broadcaster NTV reported that firefighters said the collapsed buildings had already suffered serious damage from an earlier earthquake. In August, a 6.1-magnitude quake struck the town of Sindirgi, killing one person and injuring dozens. Since then, the Balikesir region has been hit by numerous smaller aftershocks.

Due to Turkey's location on the cusp of a fault line, earthquakes are very common. One of the most devastating earthquakes in modern Turkish history struck in 2023, measuring a staggering 7.8 on the Richter scale. An incredible 46,000 people lost their lives in a densely populated area. Material damage amounted to $100 billion. The powerful tremors damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in eleven provinces. Neighboring Syria also suffered significant damage.

Source: Le Monde, Editorial Weathersunshine.com