A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit Turkey’s northwestern province of Balikesir on Sunday, resulting in at least one fatality and the collapse of over a dozen buildings, according to officials. At least 29 individuals sustained injuries.

The earthquake, which had its epicentre in the town of Sindirgi, produced tremors that were felt approximately 200 kilometres north in Istanbul, a city with a population exceeding 16 million.

An elderly woman passed away shortly after being rescued from the debris of a collapsed structure in Sindirgi, as reported by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Four additional individuals were saved from the same building.

Yerlikaya indicated that a total of 16 buildings fell in the area, most of which were abandoned and in disrepair. He also mentioned that two mosque minarets collapsed.

The minister noted that none of the injured were in critical condition. Turkey is no stranger to earthquakes, having experienced several in the past.

Television footage depicted rescue teams requesting silence to listen for any signs of life beneath the rubble.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency reported that the earthquake was succeeded by several aftershocks, including one that registered 4.6, and advised citizens to avoid entering damaged structures.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan released a statement wishing a swift recovery for all affected citizens.

“May God protect our country from any kind of disaster,” he expressed on X.

Turkey is situated on significant fault lines, making earthquakes a common occurrence.

In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake resulted in the deaths of over 53,000 individuals in Turkey and caused extensive damage to hundreds of thousands of buildings across 11 southern and southeastern provinces. Additionally, another 6,000 fatalities were reported in the northern regions of neighbouring Syria.