Magnitude 5.3 earthquake in Mediterranean shakes Turkey’s south

ANTALYA

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake jolted Turkey’s Mediterranean region and Turkish Cyprus early on Jan. 5, according to the nation’s disaster agency.

The epicenter of the earthquake, which took place at 6:21 a.m. local time, was off the coast of the southern province of Antalya’s Alanya district, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). It took place at a depth of 39.52 kilometers.

There were no reports of casualties or damages following the earthquake, according to Fatih Ürkmezer, the district governor of Alanya.

Speaking to private broadcaster CNN Turk, Professor Süleyman Pampal, a prominent geologist and earthquake expert, said there have been earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7.0 in Antalya and 8.0 in Cyprus in history.

“The earthquake requires us to be vigilant as it shows that this region has become more active in recent years, Pampal said, noting that it was not clear whether the tremor would be a precursor for a bigger earthquake.

He also noted that the fault line atop which the earthquake took place was “as dangerous as the North Anatolian Fault Line.”