5.3 magnitude earthquake rattles eastern Türkiye, caused panic

Ankara, The Gulf Observer: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake has struck the Yesilyurt district of Maltaya, Türkiye, according to the nation’s disaster management agency, AFAD.

Thursday’s earthquake occurred at 8:48 pm local time and was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Kahramanmaras, Adiyaman, Sanliurfa, and Gaziantep.

Residents in the region were seen moving to open areas to protect themselves from building destruction.

Twenty-three people were injured as a result of panic, but there were no reports of death, according to Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

He said that 14 ambulances and three medical rescue teams, UMKE, were dispatched to the affected area to provide medical assistance.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that all relevant government institutions, especially AFAD, have begun searching the territory.

Separately Environment and Urbanisation minister, Mehmet Ozhaseki, said that his provincial directorate teams are continuing to work on damage assessment in the region.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 7 kilometres.

The renewed earthquake caused panic in the residents who had already faced two disastrous earthquakes in February.

Over 50,000 people died in Türkiye due to the twin earthquakes centred in the southern Kahramanmaras province on February 6, and 13 million people in 11 Turkish provinces were affected.