Magnitude-5.9 Earthquake Strikes Eastern Turkey, Damage Reported

A significant earthquake in Malatya province caused structural damage and injuries but, fortunately, no fatalities, leading to extensive inspections and medical treatment across several provinces.

On Wednesday, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake rattled Malatya province in eastern Turkey, causing notable damage to some buildings but, thankfully, resulting in no reported casualties, as per the country’s disaster and emergency management authority (AFAD).

The quake struck at 10:46 AM local time (0746 GMT), with its epicenter located in the Kale district, roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the city of Malatya.

The tremors from the earthquake were felt widely, reaching into Syria’s provinces of Hasakah, Deir al-Zor, and Aleppo, as indicated by the Syrian state news agency.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya provided updates, confirming that three buildings had partially collapsed due to the quake’s force, but remarkably, there were no fatalities reported.

In the aftermath, nearly 190 individuals received medical attention in hospitals across six provinces due to injuries related to the quake.

Among them, 43 patients remained under observation for further evaluation.

AFAD, along with local police and gendarmerie security teams, carried out thorough inspections across various regions, including Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa, Elazig, Batman, and Tunceli, to assess the extent of the damage.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.1 and noted that it occurred at a depth of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) beneath the Earth’s surface.

This incident has sparked a response from emergency services and raised concerns about potential aftershocks in the affected areas.