A powerful earthquake measuring 6.19 magnitude shook western Turkey on Sunday evening, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The quake’s epicenter was in the town of Sindirgi, Balikesir province, near Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.
Widespread Impact Across Multiple Provinces
The tremors were felt across several provinces, reaching as far as Istanbul—home to over 16 million people—approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the epicenter.
Turkey’s disaster agency, AFAD, reported the quake struck at around 7:53 PM local time at a depth of 11 km (6.8 miles). The GFZ recorded the depth at 10 km.
Turkey just got rattled by 4.2 and 6.1 quakes. pic.twitter.com/xoQe2Icr6q
— JungleJerry (@thetiki71) August 10, 2025
Damage and Rescue Efforts Underway
Officials confirmed that about a dozen buildings collapsed, with at least two people trapped under the debris.
Sindirgi’s mayor, Serkan Sak, told HaberTurk that four people were rescued from a collapsed building while rescuers worked to reach two others still inside.
“Several houses and a mosque minaret collapsed in the nearby village of Golcuk,” Sak added.
Emergency Response Activated
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on X that AFAD emergency teams began inspections in Istanbul and neighboring provinces, with no negative reports received so far.
Remembering 2023’s Devastating Quake
This latest quake echoes the tragic magnitude 7.8 earthquake in 2023 that killed over 53,000 people in Turkey and severely damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings across 11 provinces. The disaster also claimed 6,000 lives in northern Syria.
