Magnitude 5.9 earthquake hits eastern Türkiye

MALATYA

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake jolted the eastern province of Malatya on Oct. 16, sending tremors through several nearby regions but no significant damage was reported.

The quake, which struck at 10:46 a.m. with its epicenter in the Kale district, shook multiple provinces in the country’s south and east, some of which had already endured significant damage from last year's devastating quakes.

Three buildings in Malatya, Elazığ and Şanlıurfa sustained partial collapses, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced, adding that no casualties were recorded. Teams rescued four people in a partially damaged building in Elazığ.

Field teams were deployed for site inspections, the minister said.

In Malatya, Elazığı and Şanlıurfa, education has been suspended for Oct. 16. Many residents, startled by the tremor, rushed out of their homes, businesses and schools, flooding the streets in a panic.

Elazığ’s governor reported that authorities received reports of individuals jumping from windows in panic, with emergency efforts still underway.

Seismologists have long been monitoring the Malatya fault, with recent studies suggesting that the fault, inactive for nearly 3,000 years, could generate a 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Seismologist Naci Görür stated that the Oct. 16 earthquake might have been triggered by energy transfer from the devastating quakes that struck on Feb. 6, 2023. The twin tremors, which occurred just hours apart, resulted in over 53,000 fatalities in the southern regions of the country in 2023. The 2020 Elazığ earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.5, resulted in more than 40 fatalities.

Another earthquake expert, Şükrü Ersoy, warned that aftershocks could reach magnitudes as high as 5, urging residents to avoid returning to their homes for safety.