Major earthquake, magnitude 6.1, strikes Balikesir province in Turkey, claiming one life and causing numerous building collapses.
In the past few years, Turkey has faced two significant earthquakes that have caused widespread destruction and loss of life, placing the country in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
- The 2023 Earthquake: On a fateful day in 2023, a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern and southeastern Turkey. The disaster claimed more than 53,000 lives and caused massive destruction of buildings and infrastructure across 11 provinces. This event was one of the deadliest in recent Turkish history.
The epicenter of this catastrophe was in the town of Sindirgi, where at least one person was killed and over a dozen buildings collapsed. The elderly woman who died was pulled out alive from the debris of a collapsed building in Sindirgi. The earthquake also caused over 6,000 deaths in the northern parts of neighboring Syria.
- The 2025 Earthquake: In August 2025, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the northwestern province of Balıkesir. This event resulted in the collapse of about a dozen buildings, several injuries, and at least one death—an 81-year-old resident. The quake was followed by multiple aftershocks and caused localized structural damage, including the collapse of several mosque minarets.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency reported that at least 29 people were injured in the 2023 earthquake, and four people were rescued from a collapsed building in Sindirgi. None of the injured were in serious condition. In the 2025 earthquake, none of the injured were in serious condition either.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement wishing a speedy recovery to all affected citizens and expressing his hope that God would protect the country from any kind of disaster. Erdogan wrote, "May God protect our country from any kind of disaster."
It's important to note that Turkey remains highly earthquake-prone due to its position on major fault lines. Experts warn of continued risk of future damaging quakes. Since 2023, Turkey has experienced hundreds of smaller earthquakes annually, but the most notable damaging earthquakes since 2023 are the 2023 M7.8 and 2025 M6.1 events.
In conclusion, Turkey has faced two major earthquakes in recent years, each causing significant loss of life and destruction. The 2023 M7.8 quake was particularly devastating, claiming over 53,000 lives, while the 2025 M6.1 Balıkesir quake resulted in one death, multiple injuries, and some building collapses. As Turkey continues to grapple with the aftermath of these disasters, it remains crucial for the international community to offer support and assistance in the rebuilding efforts.
- Seattle's Department of Environmental Science is working on a new study on the impact of climate change on Turkey's seismic activity, drawing parallels from environmental-science research in space-and-astronomy.
- In the realm of politics and general-news, debates on the rebuilding of Turkish cities post-earthquake have been heated, with talks of implementing new regulations for war-and-conflicts' zones, learning from the experiences of car-accidents in urban reconstruction.
- Harrowing tales of victims of car-accidents in Istanbul and Ankara have made their way into crime-and-justice headlines, just as coverage of environmental science and climate change also dominates news outlets.
- A newly-elected mayor in İzmir, with a focus on sustainable practices, has proposed tapping into Seattle's expertise in environmental-science and urban planning to help rebuild the city following the 2023 earthquake.
- While Turkey struggles with earthquakes, automobile-related accidents, crime-and-justice issues, and its new role in experimental climate-change research, it somehow finds itself thrust into the limelight as a focal point of study for scientists working on space-and-astronomy, political science, and criminal-justice matters.
