Strong earthquake hits Istanbul as buildings left shaking

It’s one of the most powerful quakes to hit the city in recent years

People leave the buildings in panic and call their loved ones after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Istanbul (Anadolu/Getty)

A powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake rattled Istanbul on Wednesday, sending tremors through Turkey's largest city and prompting widespread evacuations.

The quake, one of the strongest to hit the metropolis in recent years, struck at 12.49pm local time (0949 GMT), according to Turkey's AFAD disaster agency.

While there were no immediate reports of damage, the impact was palpable across the city of 16 million, which straddles the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus Strait.

Residents poured out of buildings as the ground shook, seeking refuge in parks, on doorsteps, and in the streets.

A wave of aftershocks further unsettled the city, leading some businesses in the central districts to close their doors.

The epicentre of the quake was located in the Silivri area, approximately 80 km (50 miles) west of Istanbul, and at a depth of 6.92 km (4.3miles), according to AFAD.

People gather outdoors after a quake in Istanbul (AP)

Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said initial inspections did not reveal any damage or adverse conditions on highways, airports, trains or subways.

Broadcaster TGRT reported that one person had been injured as a result of jumping off a balcony during the quake, which occurred during a public holiday in Turkey.

The Istanbul governor's office said there had not been any reports of buildings collapsing and it called on people to remain calm and not approach buildings that may be damaged.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on X he was monitoring the situation and his office issued advice on what people should do in the case of further quakes.

People gather in the open after the shake (AP)

Two years ago, Turkey suffered the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in its modern history. That 7.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 killed more than 55,000 people and injured more than 107,000 in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced, with many still living in temporary housing as a result of that quake.

The latest tremor also revived memories of a 1999 earthquake near Istanbul that killed 17,000.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said the latest earthquake had a magnitude 6.02. It was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), GFZ said.