AFAD provides update on Istanbul earthquake: 184 aftershocks recorded

The statement issued by AFAD included the following:

At 12:49 today, an earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 6.2 occurred in the Sea of Marmara, off the coast of Silivri.

The earthquake occurred on the segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone that passes through the Central Marmara.

The earthquake, which occurred at a depth of approximately 7 km, lasted about 13 seconds.

The earthquake was felt in our provinces within a 300 km radius of the epicenter.

A total of 184 aftershocks have been recorded so far following the main shock. There have been 7 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4 or greater.

These aftershocks may continue for some time in the coming days.

The distribution of the aftershocks following the earthquake is concentrated along a line approximately 10-15 km long in an eastward direction.

The aftershocks are concentrated particularly on the northern edge of the Central Marmara Trough and in areas close to the main fault trace.

Immediately after the earthquake, members of the AFAD "Earthquake Science Board," consisting of academics from various universities in our country specializing in earth sciences and other disciplines, convened to evaluate the earthquake. Our science board is working continuously and will continue to inform the public from time to time.

Our Earthquake Science Board Earth Sciences members stated in their evaluation:

(1) The 6.2-magnitude earthquake does not have high acceleration values.

(2) The earthquake indicates a right-lateral strike-slip faulting mechanism, consistent with the rupture mechanism of the North Anatolian Fault.

(3) Initial analyses show that a segment approximately 15 km long and 9.5 km wide has ruptured. The right-lateral displacement on the fault is around 30 cm.

(4) The assessment of structural damage is a technical process that requires on-site inspection, and officials from our Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change are continuing their field survey work.

(5) The number of calls to 112 has exceeded 10 thousand so far. Of these, 296 are reports made by our citizens regarding structures. It is recommended that our citizens do not enter such buildings and stay away from them until official technical personnel arrive and conduct the necessary inspections.

(6) It is important not to enter buildings considered to be at risk.

(7) Citizens who have concerns about their buildings should report the situation to the 112 Emergency Call Center.

(8) Due to the aftershocks continuing after the main shock, it is likely that earthquakes reaching a certain magnitude will occur for a certain period of time. It is important for our public to remain calm, not to panic during such tremors, but to be cautious.

We request that our citizens take into account the statements of our official institutions, be cautious against possible aftershocks, and not rely on unverified information spread through social media and other channels.

We once again convey our best wishes to our Istanbul and to our citizens living in the provinces where the earthquake was felt.