Over 230 aftershocks rattle western city after 5.4 quake

KÜTAHYA

Over 230 tremors have rattled the western province of Kütahya’s Simav district after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck on Sept. 28, according to data from the country’s emergency management authority.

Just 13 minutes after the initial quake, a 4 magnitude aftershock rattled the area, followed by additional shocks measuring 3.6 and 3.4. Persisting into the night and early morning, the following tremors ranged from 1 to 4.5 in magnitude.

The main quake was felt as far as the provinces of Istanbul, Bursa and İzmir.

Kütahya Governor Musa Işın reported damage to eight abandoned buildings in Simav. The municipal service building in nearby Hisarcık also sustained structural damage, with visible cracks in walls and roofs.

This recent seismic activity follows a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Balıkesir’s district of Sındırgı, west of Simav, on Aug. 10, which killed one person and injured 29 others. Aftershocks from that event continue to affect the region, highlighting ongoing seismic risks in western Türkiye.