A powerful earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck western Turkey on Monday night, shaking large parts of the Marmara region and being felt as far away as Istanbul and several Greek islands in the northern Aegean Sea, including Samos, Chios, and Lesvos.
According to early data from Turkish and international seismological institutes, the epicentre was located near the province of Balıkesir, within the broader Marmara region — an area that lies along one of the most active fault lines in the world. The tremor occurred around 9:50 p.m. local time and sent residents rushing out of their homes in fear.
Although initial reports indicate there were no casualties or major structural damages, images shared on Turkish social media platforms showed the collapse of two already-ruined buildings, as well as minor cracks and falling debris in nearby towns.
Professor Efthymios Lekkas, President of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP) in Greece, confirmed on Greek television that the quake struck “the same area where a similar 6.1-magnitude earthquake occurred just two months ago.” He added that the seismic activity is consistent with the well-known instability of the Marmara fault zone, stressing that continuous monitoring remains essential.
This latest quake has reignited memories of previous destructive earthquakes in northwestern Turkey, including the catastrophic 1999 Izmit earthquake that claimed more than 17,000 lives. Despite Monday’s tremor being less severe, seismologists warn that the region remains at high risk for stronger events in the future.
The tremor was also clearly felt across parts of Greece’s eastern Aegean islands, though there were no reports of damage or injuries there. Civil protection authorities in both Turkey and Greece remain on alert for possible aftershocks.
The earthquake serves as another reminder of the shared seismic vulnerability between the two neighbouring nations — and the importance of cross-border cooperation in early warning systems and disaster response.
