Turkey has become familiar with a worrying pattern in which it experiences low magnitude earthquakes more frequently than usual. Since last autumn, casualty-causing earthquakes have hit eastern towns and cities, while some lower magnitude earth tremors have occurred in western parts of the country.
Also, during May and June, Turkey experienced floods and other adverse weather events such as hailstorms that caused casualties and damage to agricultural crops.
On June 26, an earthquake with a preliminary measure of magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale hit a town in western Turkey, sending people rushing out of buildings, AFP reported. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.
The earthquake was centred in the town of Saruhanli, in Manisa province, and it was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Izmir, Aydin and Mugla.
The quake came a day after another tremor, measuring 5.4, shook the eastern province of Van, near the border with Iran, slightly injuring five people and damaging homes.
Turkey is crossed by two major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.
In 1999, a magnitude-7.4 quake killed more than 17,000 people in northwestern Turkey, severely damaging the city of Izmit.
Seismologists warn that the northwest could again be hit by a big-magnitude earthquake. The region includes biggest Turkish city and commercial capital Istanbul, which accounts for a huge proportion of the country’s population and economy.
Don’t just follow the news—understand it.
The IntelliNews PRO service includes access to reports, exclusive market data, and more news that decision-makers care about. Stay ahead of the market with IntelliNews PRO.
Sign Up NowRelated Articles
Fintech Freedom Holding aims to make France key entry point into EU with €500mn investment
A French banking licence would open the way to a new phase in the international expansion of Nasdaq-listed fintech group Freedom Holding Corp. That’s the expectation of Freedom, a company ... more
Iran's Araghchi arrives in Turkey for talks on US military build-up as Ankara looks to act as mediator
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Istanbul on January 30 for meetings with Turkish officials to discuss regional issues amid what he described as serious challenges posed by US ... more
TPAO and ExxonMobil sign deal for offshore exploration
The Turkish Petroleum Corp. (TPAO) has formalised a strategic partnership with Esso Exploration International, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, marking a significant escalation in Türkiye’s ambitions ... more