One dead, dozens injured as 6.1 magnitude quake hits western Turkey

Ankara: A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the town of Sindirgi in western Turkey on Sunday, claiming the life of an elderly man and injuring dozens more, according to the Turkish disaster management agency, AFAD.

The quake, which occurred at 7:53pm local time (1653 GMT), was felt across several major cities, including Istanbul and the popular tourist destination of Izmir.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that an 81-year-old man died shortly after being rescued from beneath the rubble. A further 29 people sustained injuries, though none were reported to be serious.

The earthquake caused the collapse of 16 buildings in Sindirgi and surrounding areas, four of which were occupied at the time. Among them was a three-storey residential building in the city centre. Six people had been inside; several were pulled out alive, while rescue efforts continued for the remaining individuals. The deceased man had been trapped in the same building.

Earlier in the day, Sindirgi Mayor Serkan Sak told private broadcaster NTV that four people had been rescued and that work was ongoing to reach two others.

AFAD reported that around 319 emergency personnel were deployed to the affected area. In the hours following the main tremor, around 20 aftershocks were recorded, ranging in magnitude from 3.5 to 4.6.

Turkey is located on several major fault lines and has a long history of devastating earthquakes. In February 2023, a massive quake in the south of the country killed more than 53,000 people and levelled much of Antakya, the ancient city of Antioch. Just last month, a 5.8-magnitude tremor in the same region resulted in one death and left 69 people injured.