Many residents of Istanbul spent the night outdoors following a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck on Wednesday. According to the Associated Press, people were afraid of aftershocks and potential structural damage, choosing not to return to their homes.
Although no major destruction was reported, the quake — the strongest to hit the region in years — caused widespread panic. Dozens of people were injured, primarily due to panic attacks or jumping from buildings in fear. A total of 236 individuals required medical attention.
Seeking safety, residents slept in their cars, pitched tents in parks, and lit fires to keep warm as temperatures dropped. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported 184 aftershocks following the main tremor, with seven measuring magnitude 4 or higher.
Environment Minister Murat Kurum stated that authorities received 378 reports of building damage, and at least 12 structures were evacuated as a precaution.
The incident rekindled memories of the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquake, which struck 11 southern and southeastern provinces of Turkey. That quake, with a magnitude of 7.8, claimed over 53,000 lives in Turkey and killed another 6,000 people in northern Syria. Hundreds of thousands of buildings were destroyed or damaged.
