Turkey: Powerful Earthquake of Magnitude 6.2 Off the Coast of Istanbul

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck the Sea of Marmara on Wednesday, shaking Istanbul but causing no casualties or damage, according to Turkish authorities.

The National Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) along with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that “a 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara” just before 1 PM local time (10 AM GMT).

Two tremors of at least a fraction of a second apart were felt strongly across all neighborhoods in the vast city of 16 million inhabitants, situated along the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara.