Istanbul, Turkiye’s cultural and economic heartland, shook for five terrifying seconds as buildings shook and shelves toppled, and panic erupted.
At 12:49 p.m. (09:49 GMT) on Wednesday, Istanbul’s ground trembled, sending millions of people running into the streets. An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck the area off its western coast. There were a few smaller aftershocks that lasted between 3. 5 and 5. 9 years later.
Authorities claim that no significant damage was discovered, but Istanbul Governor Davut Gul claimed that at least 151 people had injured themselves as they jumped from heights to escape in a panic.
Residents of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara were left frightened by the earthquake’s impact and were left wondering what might happen next.
When her building suddenly trembled, 69-year-old Bilge was at home in the upscale Nisantasi district.
“Earthquake screamed from the building!” and departed. She described how people were strewn onto the sidewalks and clutching phones to check on loved ones and said, “My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.”
Coffee shop employees scurried into the street in a hurry to get there. As aftershocks echoed across the city, one said, “We were just calling our families.”
Events were canceled and the public became more anxious as a result of the earthquake’s coincidence with National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, a public holiday.
Parents were seen posing with their kids still in costume as they paraded through the streets.
Zeynep Karatas, a freelance designer from Sisli who had visited Nisantasi’s Macka Park with hundreds of others who wanted the privacy of an open space, said, “I was on the seventh floor, just about to make lunch.”
“My building’s walls cracked, and the glasses clinked.” I ran after my cat and grabbed it, Karatas said.
She joined the dozens of nearby people who had already gathered outside. Some people tried to contact relatives while others tried their phones. “We all left together,” she said. Elderly people were being harassed as they climbed the stairs. She continued, “I wanted to cry.
Some park residents are concerned and promise to stay awake for the entire night. In case they need to leave their homes quickly, some people intend to pack a small bag.
Residents of Turkiye should be on the lookout for aftershocks that can last for hours or even days.
earthquake history
The psychological effects were immediate, despite initial reports of little structural damage.
According to Baran Demir, 62, “everyone was talking about 2023,” referring to the devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 53 000 people in southern Turkiye and another 6 000 in Syria. You could feel that same fear in other people’s faces. The memory of my building then came rushing back, not to collapse.
When the aftershocks struck, Mehmet, a 35-year-old cafe worker, was assisting customers outside in Nisantasi. Everyone maintained a calm state, but quickly things changed. We simply held our breath. We believed that this was the crucial step in the quest for it.
Istanbul residents have long been concerned about a significant earthquake striking the city, as has previously happened. In 1509, 1766, and 1894, earthquakes of a magnitude greater than 7 struck Istanbul, causing thousands of casualties and extensive destruction. More than 17, 000 people were killed in an earthquake that occurred in Izmit, which occurred about 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Istanbul in 1999.
The city is close to the North Anatolian Fault, a significant fault line that frequently causes earthquakes.
Many people are still concerned about the impact of earthquakes in the densely populated city, despite recent improvements to building codes.
Source: Aljazeera
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