Strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake hits western Turkiye

ISTANBUL: In a tragic incident, A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the western Turkish town of Sindirgi late on Monday, according to Turkish media reports.

This is the second time in less than three months that it has been hit, authorities said.

The quake struck at 10:48 pm local time (1948 GMT) and was also felt in the economic capital of Istanbul and the tourist hotspot of Izmir, Turkiye’s AFAD emergencies agency said.

There were no immediate reports of victims.

“Three buildings and a store that were evacuated after the last quake collapsed; there are no victims,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the people of Turkiye following the earthquake.

“Pakistan stands ready to extend humanitarian assistance and aid in search and rescue efforts. Our prayers are with all those affected — may the region recover swiftly and with resilience.” Dar said on X.

On August 10, a quake of the same magnitude killed one person and wounded dozens of others in Sindirgi, a town nestled in the hills around 138 kilometres (86 miles) northeast of Izmir.

Turkiye is crisscrossed by several geological fault lines that have previously caused catastrophes in the country.

A quake in February 2023 in the southwest killed at least 53,000 people and devastated Antakya, site of the ancient city of Antioch.

At the beginning of July, a 5.8-magnitude tremor in the same region resulted in one death and injured 69 people.