Istanbul earthquake live: More than 150 injured as buildings shaken in Turkey's largest city

Summary

Several earthquakes have hit Turkey's largest city Istanbul - the strongest with a magnitude of 6.2
The tremors - also felt in the Turkish capital 275 miles away - sparked panic as people fled shaking buildings
More than fifty aftershocks have been recorded but no significant damage has been reported so far
No deaths have been reported but at least 151 people are injured after jumping from heights in fear, officials say
The BBC's Orla Guerin says the quake was one of the strongest to hit the city in recent years
Scientists have long said a big earthquake could hit the city at any time, so moments like this always strike fear into residents, our reporter Asya Robins says

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Panic and confusion moments after Istanbul earthquake

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily McGarvey and Alex Smith, with Orla Guerin reporting from Istanbul

'The news anchor was almost in tears'published at 12:33 British Summer Time 23 April
Tom Joyner
Live reporter
Halil Taşkın was working by the water in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş neighbourhood when he felt the quake.
He and his colleague dived under the table and waited for the rumbling to end.
When it was over, Taşkın switched on the TV news and looked out at the crowds gathering in the street below.
“It feels like it was for a long time, but it was only five seconds or 10 seconds,” he tells me. “The news anchor was almost in tears.”
Like many others, he’s terrified of an earthquake in Istanbul, something analysts have warned about for years.
“We are all on tenterhooks,” he says.
Istanbul residents have long feared this momentpublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 23 April
Asya Robins
Live reporter
Today's earthquakes hit the western outskirts of Istanbul - the Silivri and Buyukcekmece districts.
Although they are quite far out of the city centre, both are prominent suburban areas and tend to receive an influx of residents and visitors in the spring and summer seasons.
Istanbul has also been expanding geographically over the last several years, with many people opting to move to less built up areas, outside the city centre.
Scientists have long said that a big earthquake in Istanbul, which has been expected for years, could hit at any moment.
Having lived there myself for most of my life, and with my family still there, it's hard not to feel anxious.
Although no casualties have been reported so far, Istanbul residents have long feared this moment, and will be wondering if it's a sign of a worse earthquake to come.
Istanbul tremor also felt in Turkish capital - 275 miles awaypublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 23 April
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
The biggest of the tremors to hit Istanbul was felt some 275 miles away (440km) in the capital, Ankara, according to Mayor Mansur Yavas.
It's a measure of how powerful the 6.2-magnitude quake was.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first comments, says he is following events closely.
How are earthquakes measured?published at 12:17 British Summer Time 23 April
They are measured on a scale called the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw). This has replaced the better-known Richter scale, now considered outdated and less accurate.
The number attributed to an earthquake represents a combination of the distance the fault line has moved and the force that moved it.
A tremor of 2.5 or less usually cannot be felt, but can be detected by instruments. Quakes of up to five are felt and cause minor damage.
Anything above a six (which includes the largest quake today measuring at 6.2) is considered strong and can cause severe damage.
Anything above eight causes catastrophic damage and can totally destroy communities at its centre.
No reports of damage yet - Istanbul authoritiespublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 23 April
Officials from the Istanbul Governorship say they haven't received any reports of earthquake damage yet.
Authorities are still scanning the city and ask members of the public once again not to approach buildings that might be damaged.
'There was a deep rumble - and then panic'published at 12:05 British Summer Time 23 April
Tom Joyner
Live reporter
Across Istanbul, residents are still reeling from the shock. Selin Tüter was at work in an office building on the European side of the city when the earthquake hit.
At first she felt the ground give way, sending her off balance. Then she heard a deep rumble, "as if something was punching from underneath".
"When that happened, a lot of people panicked. A lot of people started making a run for it," she tells me.
She explains that many people in Istanbul are wary of earthquakes following the massive shocks that killed 55,000 people in Turkey and Syria in 2023.
Quote Message
Most people who live in Istanbul do know there is a big earthquake expected. People are asking if this is a pre-shock."
Image source, EPA
Don't enter damaged buildings and only use phones if necessary - Turkish officialspublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 23 April
Istanbul authorities are warning the public not to enter buildings that might be damaged following the earthquakes.
They advise people to not drive or use their phones unless absolutely necessary.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya says disaster and emergency management teams are starting to assess the impact of the quakes.
First images emerge from Istanbulpublished at 11:54 British Summer Time 23 April
We've just received the first batch of images from Istanbul, showing people looking worried as they leave buildings to call loved ones:
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Three more earthquakes hit western Istanbulpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 23 April
Breaking
Turkey's disaster agency has just recorded another three earthquakes, all in Istanbul's Buyukcekmece district.
Their website has just crashed - presumably due to high demand - we'll bring you more details on the specifics as soon as we can.
Several quakes in quick successionpublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 23 April
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Turkey's disaster agency has recorded a series of tremors in a matter of minutes, all of them along the coast of the Sea of Marmara, and close to Istanbul.
It is the second tremor of 6.2 magnitude that will be most worrying for Istanbul's 16 million-strong population.
It's the biggest city in Turkey where a fifth of the country's population lives.
The interior minister says the quake was felt not just in Istanbul but in surrounding provinces too.
In six years here, I have never felt a quake as strong as thispublished at 11:29 British Summer Time 23 April
Orla Guerin
Reporting from Istanbul
In my street in Istanbul, neighbours have gathered together, standing away from buildings, some clearly in shock.
There is still no information about any casualties. I have felt previous earthquakes in my building, but in my six years living in Istanbul I have never felt one as strong as this.
The building shook. I took cover for a few seconds inside and then rushed out of the building when the shaking continued. A neighbour says lamps crashed to the floor in her apartment.
Living in Turkey means living with the risk of earthquakes. But today’s quakes have brought fear to many. Memories are fresh here of the devastating two quakes in southern Turkey in 2023.
Three quakes hit Istanbul areapublished at 11:23 British Summer Time 23 April
Breaking
We've got more now from Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, which is reporting several earthquakes in Istanbul.
- The first is of 3.9 magnitude and hit the coast of the Silivri district at 12:13 local time (10:13 BST)
- The second is of 6.2 magnitude and hit the same area at 12:49 (10:49 BST)
- The third quake of 4.4 magnitude in Istanbul's Buyukcekmece district hit at 12:51 local time (10:51 BST)
Postpublished at 11:18 British Summer Time 23 April
Orla Guerin
Reporting from Istanbul
No word yet of any casualties.
Earthquake is of magnitude 6.2published at 11:12 British Summer Time 23 April
Breaking
A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 has hit Istanbul, news agency Reuters reports, citing Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) says the earthquake had a magnitude 6.02 and was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles).
People out on the streetspublished at 11:06 British Summer Time 23 April
Orla Guerin
Reporting from Istanbul
Buildings in Istanbul have been shaken by what feels like an earthquake.
People are out in the streets in my neighbourhood on the European side of the city.
I ran from my own building. I felt it very clearly in my flat. No further info yet.
Earthquake hits Istanbulpublished at 11:06 British Summer Time 23 April
Breaking
We're getting reports of an earthquake hitting Turkey's largest city Istanbul.
This is a breaking story and we'll bring you more in the next few moments.