A 5.9-magnitude earthquake shook parts of eastern Turkey on Wednesday, though there were no immediate reports of injuries, according to officials.
The tremor occurred at 10:46am (0746 GMT) in Kale, Malatya, a province that had been severely impacted by the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6, 2023, which claimed the lives of over 53,500 people in Turkey and nearly 6,000 in Syria.
Turkey’s AFAD disaster management agency posted on X, stating, “For now, there has been no loss of life or property damage following the magnitude 5.9 earthquake.”
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya later confirmed that three buildings had “partially collapsed” in separate areas, and emergency services received several dozen calls for assistance.
Local officials in Malatya reported no “negative developments” at this time, though the provincial governor announced the closure of all primary and secondary schools for the day.
The tremor was felt strongly in several cities, including Diyarbakir, located about 140 kilometers (90 miles) to the southeast, according to AFP correspondents. It was also reported in Syria’s Hasakah, Deir al-Zor, and Aleppo provinces, as per the country’s state news agency.
Television footage showed residents in various cities rushing into the streets after feeling the quake.
