A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Wednesday morning, impacting the Kale district of Malatya province, which had previously suffered from the catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6, 2023. That earlier quake resulted in over 53,500 deaths in Turkey and nearly 6,000 in Syria.
Read More: Scientists Uncover a Hidden Sixth Ocean Within Earth’s Mantle
According to Turkey’s AFAD disaster management agency, there have been no immediate reports of injuries or significant property damage following this latest tremor, which occurred at 10:46 a.m. local time (0746 GMT). However, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that three buildings had “partially collapsed” in separate areas, and emergency services responded to dozens of calls for assistance.
Malatya’s local officials stated that no “negative developments” had been observed, though all primary and secondary schools in the province were closed for the day as a precaution. Residents felt the quake in several nearby cities, including Diyarbakir, located about 140 kilometers to the southeast, and reports indicated that tremors were also felt in Syria’s Hasakah, Deir al-Zor, and Aleppo provinces.
Television footage showed people rushing into the streets after the quake, a scene reminiscent of the fear that gripped the region earlier this year.
