Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Hits Eastern Turkey, Causes Structural Damage

A significant earthquake measuring 5.9 in magnitude struck the Malatya province in eastern Turkey on Wednesday, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The earthquake’s epicenter was located in the district of Kale, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the city of Malatya, and took place at 10:46 a.m. local time (0746 GMT).

While the earthquake resulted in the partial collapse of three buildings, officials confirmed that no casualties have been reported so far. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the absence of fatalities in a statement to reporters, emphasizing that the situation is under control.

The tremor was not confined to Turkey, as it was also felt in neighboring Syria, specifically in the provinces of Hasakah, Deir al-Zor, and Aleppo, as reported by Syria’s state news agency. This has raised regional concerns about potential aftershocks and their impact.

Emergency response teams, including AFAD, police, and gendarmerie security units, were deployed to affected areas to conduct inspections. These teams have been active across multiple regions including Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa, Elazig, Batman, and Tunceli provinces, ensuring safety and assessing any structural damage.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre provided further details, noting that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.1 with a depth of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) beneath the earth’s surface, slightly higher than the AFAD’s report.

A total of nearly 190 individuals across six provinces have received medical attention following the quake, with 43 patients still under medical observation, as confirmed by Interior Minister Yerlikaya.

Reporting efforts were contributed by Daren Butler in Istanbul, Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru, Clauda Tanios in Dubai, and Huseyin Hayatsever in Ankara, with editing by Sharon Singleton and Ros Russell.