4.6 magnitude earthquake shakes eastern city of Malatya

MALATYA

A 4.6 magnitude earthquake rattled the eastern province of Malatya one day after another moderate-scale tremor, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) has announced.

The earthquake occurred at 12:34 p.m. on Dec. 28, with its epicenter situated in the Yeşilyurt district, reaching a depth of 17 kilometers, AFAD said in a written statement.

Malatya, one of the 11 provinces affected by the Feb. 6 earthquakes that claimed the lives of over 50,000 people, experienced another tremor on Dec. 27, measuring 4.3 in magnitude.

"The earthquake that occurred today [on Dec. 28] was more intense compared to yesterday. Fortunately, there have been no adverse reports regarding casualties or property damage. Though I was in an open area, I witnessed its considerable intensity. Those in enclosed spaces conveyed an even more severe impact," Mayor Selahattin Gürkan expressed.

"It lasted for about three to four seconds. As of now, no negative incidents have been reported, and there haven't been any emergency unit notifications. While not highly intense, we feel," Malatya Governor Ersin Yazıcı said.

Providing insights into consecutive tremors in the city, expert Şükrü Ersoy indicated that although a tremor of this magnitude may not lead to destruction, there is a risk of collapse in structures previously damaged during the Feb. 6 earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks.

"An earthquake is not an isolated event but a process. Experiencing successive tremors without an apparent cause may point out a significance. It is a location that requires vigilance," Ersoy emphasized.

Ersoy further expressed his opinion that the tremor on Dec. 28 was not an aftershock of the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes in February, asserting that such moderate-scale earthquakes are likely to persist.

Earthquake expert Şerif Barış, on the other hand, warned that the earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 is an aftershock of the Feb. 6 earthquakes, similarly cautioning about potential risks for structures already bearing substantial damage.