The AFAD emergency agency said that the earthquake’s epicenter was in Gemlik Bay, which is located in the Marmara Sea approximately 60 km (35 mi) south of Istanbul, close to Bursa.
On Monday, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck just south of Istanbul, causing areas of Turkey’s largest metropolis to shake, but it did not result in any immediate injuries or damage. According to the AFAD emergency agency, the epicenter of the earthquake was located at Gemlik Bay, which is within the Marmara Sea and is approximately 60 kilometers (35 miles) south of Istanbul, close to the city of Bursa.
The walls of Istanbul were shaking on both the Asian and European sides, and television images showed people walking out onto the street in an attempt to protect themselves. AFP correspondents felt the shaking. The North Anatolian Fault, which is one of the most active faults in the world, is located next to the city that has the highest population in Turkey.
In the year 1999, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that had its epicentre on the eastern fringes of the city was responsible for the deaths of more than 17,000 people. It is estimated that the population of Istanbul has increased by approximately 16 million people since that time. More than 50,000 people lost their lives as a result of two big earthquakes that occurred in the southeast region of Turkey in February. These earthquakes also caused damage or destruction to tens of thousands of buildings throughout many cities.
