Türkiye’s cities and beaches have made it a hugely popular travel destination. However, the country lies on the Anatolian tectonic plate, which is surrounded by the larger Eurasian and African plates, and sits on two major fault lines – the North Anatolian fault and the East Anatolian fault – and it’s highly prone to earthquakes.
Several tremors have been felt in Istanbul today, the largest of which registered as a 6.2 earthquake. It’s obviously worrying news if you have a trip booked to Türkiye, so here is everything you need to know about whether it is safe to travel right now.
Is it safe to travel to Türkiye?
Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency has reported several earthquakes in quick succession in and around Istanbul. The first was a 3.9 magnitude earthquake which hit at 12.13pm local time, the second was a 6.2 magnitude at 12.49pm and the third was 4.4 magnitude at 12.51.
There have been around 150 injuries reported so far, due to jumping from heights to escape, according to the BBC. Buildings in Istanbul have been shaking, and people are being encouraged to stay away from buildings which could be damaged.
Following those initial three tremors, three more have since been reported in Istanbul’s Buyukcekmece district.
Where was the earthquake?
The earthquakes are thought to have had a shallow depth of 10km with an epicentre around 40km southwest of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara, according to euronews.
The quakes have been felt most strongly in Istanbul, but the US Geological Survey suggests it could also have affected Bulgaria, Romania and Greece and reports now suggest it was felt in Ankara, according to Mayor Mansur Yavas.
What is the UK Foreign Office saying?
The UK Government is yet to update its travel advice page for Türkiye with information on the earthquake, but you can keep an eye on that for all the latest information here.
On the safety and security page, it reads: ‘Many parts of Turkey regularly experience earthquakes and tremors. These can be a high magnitude, cause damage to infrastructure, and pose a risk to life.
‘Follow any advice given by the local authorities. See the US Federal Emergency Management Agency guidance about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.’
When was the last earthquake in the region?
Back on February 6 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and was followed hours later by another strong tremor. Across 11 southern and southeastern Turkish provinces, hundreds of thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed.
The earthquake killed 53,000 people in Türkiye and an estimated 6,000 people in northern Syria.
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