The 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred off Silivri in the Sea of Marmara was felt in many provinces of Turkey, especially Istanbul. AFAD and experts are warning citizens about aftershocks and risky buildings.

The earthquake that occurred off Silivri was felt in many cities, especially Istanbul. According to initial findings, there were no casualties, while AFAD teams continue their work in the field.

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Epicenter of the Earthquake: Off Silivri

According to the data of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), a 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurred at 12:49 in the Sea of ​​Marmara, off the Silivri district of Istanbul. The earthquake was felt in many cities, especially Istanbul, such as Ankara, İzmir, Balıkesir, Çanakkale, Bursa, Sakarya, Yalova, Edirne, Tekirdağ and Uşak.

Minister Yerlikaya: "All Our Teams Have Started Field Surveys"

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a statement about the earthquake, "All teams of AFAD and related institutions have started field surveys." Warnings were issued against entering damaged buildings in the region after the earthquake.

Critical Warning from AFAD

In the statement made by AFAD, the following call was made to the citizens:

“Do not enter damaged buildings in the region after the earthquake. Do not be around risky buildings. Make your communications via short message (SMS) and internet-based messaging applications. Follow the warnings of official units.”

Panic and Anxiety Felt in Many Provinces

The earthquake caused panic in surrounding provinces, especially Tekirdağ, Edirne, Bursa, Sakarya, İzmir, Balıkesir, Uşak and Ankara, besides Istanbul. Citizens abandoned their homes and workplaces and flocked to open areas. The events were terminated due to the shaking during the April 23 celebration in Tekirdağ Ergene.

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş said in a statement on his social media account, “The earthquake was also felt in Ankara. Get well soon to all our citizens.”

Expert Opinion: "Not the Entire Fault, But a Part of it Broke"

Evaluating the earthquake, Prof. Dr. Hasan Sözbilir (Director of DEÜ Earthquake Research and Application Center) said, “Not the entire fault, but a part of it broke. We got off cheap. There was no loss of life or property. We are not expecting a tsunami. Aftershocks may continue.”

Statement from the Presidency and Directorate of Communications

Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun said, "Our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is closely following the process and developments and ensuring the coordination of our relevant institutions." Altun also called on media organizations to refrain from disinformation and emphasized that citizens should only trust official statements.

Critical warning from Prof. Dr. Naci Görür: “The great Marmara earthquake has not happened yet, Istanbul should be made a resilient city.”

Prof. Dr. Naci Görür made striking assessments after the recent earthquakes in the Sea of ​​Marmara. Görür emphasized that the frequent earthquakes off Istanbul are not the great earthquake expected in Marmara and made the following warnings:

“There are many earthquakes in the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul, on the Kumburgaz fault. In different sizes… But these are not the big earthquake we expect in Marmara. These earthquakes increase the stress accumulated by this fault, that is, force it to break. The main earthquake here will be bigger and over 7.”

Stating that the earthquake should not only be talked about when it happens, Görür said, “Earthquake is such an important issue that it should not be talked about when it happens. It is necessary to talk about it and take precautions when there is no earthquake. First the government, then the municipality and the public should prepare the city for an earthquake by working together. Urban transformation is not building buildings. Preparing the city for an earthquake, creating a earthquake-resistant city is a completely different thing. Now the public must do what is necessary. What it will do is supervision and control,” he said.