Western Turkey rattled by 6.2 quake

The Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute has announced that a 6.2 magnitude earthquake centered off the coast of Bozcaada in the Aegean Sea rattled Western Turkey today at around 4:10 pm.



The 6.2 quake hit Çanakkale and Izmir the heaviest and was also felt all the way from certain districts in Istanbul to Bursa, Balıkesir, Tekirdağ Bursa and Çanakkale.

According to Çanakkale Mayor Ülgür Gökhan, they have not yet received any reports of loss of life or property. "There may be a few cracks. We have safely survived this earthquake it seems. We are located in the first degree earthquake zone, if we didn't have one today, we would have tomorrow. We have seen the benefit of the preventative measures taken," states Gökhan."

Çanakkale Governor Azim Tuna says, "We strongly felt the earthquake. As far as I understand it measured around six in magnitude." Governor Tuna also says they have not received any reports of harm or damage.

Dokuz Eylül University Prof. Dr. Atilla Uluğ says that the 6.2 earthquake, which was not based in the Saros Gulf as initially reported but actually had an epicenter in the Aegean Sea off of Bozcaada, was strongly felt in both Izmir and Çanakkale. Dr. Atilla Uluğ, the Director of the Dokuz Eylül University Marine Sciences and Technologies Institute states, "There are a number of North Anatolian fault lines off the coast of Gelibolu which extend into the Aegean Sea. This earthquake had an epicenter on one of these lines. There was already activity in the region that was ongoing," states Uluğ.