Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Turkey’s Balikesir Province, One Dead and Dozens Injured
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook northwestern Turkey’s Balikesir province on Sunday evening, causing widespread damage in the town of Sindirgi, the quake’s epicentre. The tremors were felt as far as Istanbul, nearly 200 kilometers away.
Casualties and Damage
Authorities said rescue teams pulled an 81-year-old woman from the rubble, but she later died. At least 29 people were injured, and 16 buildings collapsed, including homes, shops, and a mosque’s minaret in nearby Golcuk village.
Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said search and rescue work is now complete, with no new casualties reported. Local media said several people were trapped right after the quake, but rescue teams saved four of them.
Aftershocks and Safety Warnings
The Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) reported multiple aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 4.6. Officials have urged residents to avoid entering damaged buildings due to the risk of further collapse.
A Region Prone to Quakes
Turkey lies at the convergence of three major tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active countries in the world. Earthquakes are frequent, with some causing catastrophic loss of life and infrastructure damage.
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In February 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in southern Turkey killed more than 53,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Another 6,000 fatalities were recorded in neighboring Syria.
Government Response
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed condolences to the victims and pledged ongoing support for recovery efforts. “May God protect our country from any kind of disaster,” he said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
Emergency services continue to assess structural safety in Balikesir and surrounding towns, as authorities work to restore normalcy to affected communities.
More…
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- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy557j3y5lo
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/turkey-earthquake-balikesir-1.7605486
- https://winnipeg.citynews.ca/2025/08/10/magnitude-6-1-earthquake-hits-turkey-felt-in-istanbul
- https://www.overheretoronto.com/burnt-river-forest-fire-prompts-total-fire-ban-in-kawartha-lakes
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