A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Turkey’s northwestern province of Balikesir on Sunday, killing at least one person and leading to the collapse of more than a dozen buildings, officials said. At least 29 people were injured.
The earthquake, with an epicenter in the town of Sindirgi, sent shocks that were felt some 200 kilometers (125 miles) to the north in Istanbul. It was also felt on the Greek islands of the Eastern Aegean.
An elderly woman died shortly after being pulled out alive from the debris of a collapsed building in Sindirgi, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters. Four other people were rescued from the building.
Yerlikaya reported that a total of sixteen buildings collapsed in the region, most of them derelict and unused. Two minarets also came tumbling down, he said. None of the injured were in serious condition, the Minister said.
Television footage showed rescue teams asking for silence so they could listen for signs of life beneath the rubble.
According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, the earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 4.6. Citizens were urged not to enter damaged buildings.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement wishing a swift recovery to all those affected and said that recovery efforts were being closely monitored. “May God protect our country from any kind of disaster,” he wrote on X.
Related: New Earthquake Hits Turkey, Toppling More Buildings
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