4.9 magnitude earthquake strikes western Türkiye
BALIKESİR
A 4.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Sındırgı district of Türkiye's western Balikesir province on Monday, felt across Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and surrounding areas, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The quake occurred at 3:35 p.m. local time, with its epicenter in Sındırgı and a depth of 11.02 kilometers, AFAD reported.
It followed a 3.6 magnitude tremor in the same area just three minutes earlier, at 3:32 p.m.
This latest event comes amid ongoing aftershocks from a 6.0 magnitude earthquake on October 27, which itself followed a 6.1 magnitude quake on August 10 in the region.
Since August, the area has experienced nearly 14,000 to 15,000 aftershocks, exacerbating local concerns.
Sındırgı Mayor Serkan Sak addressed the situation, saying, "We wish a speedy recovery to those who felt the earthquake. We've been shaking with 14,000 to 15,000 aftershocks since Aug. 10. With the second quake on Oct. 27, we've suffered damage. Demolition decisions have been made for 607 independent units. Sındırgı should be declared a disaster zone by the state as soon as possible. There are no casualties, which is our only consolation."
Professor Dr. Süleyman Pampal, founding director of Gazi University's Earthquake Research Center, commented on the seismic activity: "There are many faults in the region, known and unknown. This is not abnormal. We've reached nearly 10,000 to 15,000 earthquakes in three months. The Sındırgı fault is breaking apart internally. This is an aftershock. I think people aren't panicking anymore; they know what to do. I don't expect anything larger in the immediate Sındırgı area, but we anticipate up to magnitude 6 earthquakes to the east or west."
No immediate reports of casualties or major damage emerged from the 4.9 quake, but authorities continue monitoring the volatile region, known for its active fault lines in western Anatolia.
