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Istanbul Hit By Massive Quake Injuring Many

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

ISTANBUL, TURKEY (Worthy News) – Panic-stricken people in Turkey’s largest city tried to stay awake early Thursday after a massive earthquake injured more than 150 people.

Many rushed to parks while others sat on doorsteps or stood outside their homes in the center of Istanbul as aftershocks from Wednesday’s magnitude 6.2 quake on the European side of the city continued.

The office of Istanbul’s governor said most of the injuries were a result of people jumping from buildings, adding that “their treatments are ongoing in hospitals, and they are not in life-threatening condition.”

The United States Geological Survey noticed Wednesday’s earthquake shook at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (about 6 miles). It added its epicenter about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Istanbul, below the Sea of Marmara.

Turkish authorities called it one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the city in recent years. It was reportedly felt in the neighboring provinces of Tekirdağ, Yalova, Bursa, and Balıkesir and the city of İzmir, about 340 miles (550 kilometers) south of Istanbul.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the earthquake lasted 13 seconds and was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 5.9 magnitude.

PRESIDENT THANKFUL

The initial quake happened at 12.49 p.m. local time Wednesday, during a public holiday when many children were out of school and celebrating in the streets of Istanbul, witnesses explained.

“Thank God, there does not seem to be any problems for now,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “May God protect our country and our people from all kinds of calamities, disasters, accidents, and troubles,” he added during an event marking National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.

Survivors agreed with 69-year-old Bilge, recalling how she was at home when her building suddenly rattled. “People in the building screamed ‘earthquake!’ and ran outside. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.”

Nearby, coffee shop workers rushed out into the street. “We were just calling our families,” one said as aftershocks continued to ripple across the city.

The earthquake sparked the cancellation of events and heightened public anxiety.

Among quake victims were parents seen walking through the streets with their children still dressed for celebrations.

SEVENTH FLOOR

“I was on the seventh floor, just about to make lunch,” said Zeynep Karatas, 41, a freelance designer from Sisli who came to Nisantasi’s Macka Park with hundreds of others seeking the safety of an open space. “The walls in my building cracked, the glasses clinked. I didn’t wait – I grabbed my cat and ran.”

She joined dozens of neighbors already gathered outside. Some clutched pets, others had their phones, and they were trying to contact relatives, reporters saw.

“We all ran out together. Strangers were helping elderly people down the stairs. I felt like crying,” Karatas stressed.

Some in the park prepared to stay awake as long as possible at night. Others planned to pack a small bag in case they needed to leave their homes quickly.

The Turkish emergency authority AFAD had warned residents “to stay alert” as aftershocks can continue for hours, even days.

While initial reports indicated minor structural damage, the psychological impact was immediate.

“Everyone was talking about 2023,” added Baran Demir, 62, referring to the devastating earthquake that killed more than 53,000 people in southern Turkey and another 6,000 people in Syria. “You could see it on people’s faces, that same fear. My building didn’t collapse then, but the memory came rushing back.”