Heavy earthquakes shake Istanbul: over 150 injured, panicked evacuation!

Heavy earthquakes shake Istanbul: over 150 injured, panicked evacuation!

Istanbul, Türkei - on April 23, 2025 at 5:07 p.m., a strong earthquake of the strength 6.2 Istanbul, the largest city in Türkiye. The quake, which also brought over 50 aftershocks, stopped around 13 seconds. According to the authorities, more than 150 people were injured, while no fatalities have been reported so far. Surprisingly, there were no collapsed houses, only an empty building in the Fatih district suffered damage. This has been the most difficult earthquake in the region for 25 years.

The population of Istanbul, which is one of the largest in Europe with 16 million inhabitants, reacted with panic. Many people fell out of the houses, which led to injuries when some jumped out of windows. Traffic problems were also an issue, with long traffic jams on the highways and disturbed telephone and internet connections. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, reported that no damage to roads, airports, trains and subways were found. A veterinarian was even forced to operate a cat in the trunk of a car during the quake.

preparations and building safety

The earthquake disaster throws a light on the insufficient preparation of Istanbul for an upcoming heavy tremor. Despite the most important findings from the devastating earthquake in 1999, only slow progress in improving building security was made. According to ZDF, around 1.2 million buildings in the city are around 800,000 in a critical condition. These shortcomings are again illustrated by the 1999 tribes, in which more than 1,000 people died.

experts draw a worrying image of earthquake security in Istanbul. It is estimated that up to 1.6 million houses are not earthquake -proof, with around 200,000 being in a very risky condition. City planners ask the citizens to renovate their buildings. Dilek, a resident, reports on her fears and the difficulties to find suitable construction companies for demolition and reconstruction, since many companies are not interested in such projects.

reactions to the earthquake

The reactions to the earthquake are mixed. While President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasizes the alert willingness of the disaster service and state institutions, the opposition leader Ekrem calls imamoglu to unity and solidarity. Experts also warn of the possibility of another strong quake; Geologists like Okan Tüysüz and Naci Görür indicate the increased tensions at the tectonic plate border in the Marmarae Seas, which increases the probability of a serious earthquake. The population is asked to keep calm and to stay away from damaged buildings.