5.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Kütahya, Turkey
A 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Simav district of Kütahya, Turkey, at 12:59 PM, followed by a 4.0 magnitude aftershock, with tremors felt in several neighboring provinces. No casualties or major damages have been reported so far.
Kokcha News Agency – A 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck Simav, Kütahya, at 12:59 PM, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The quake, which occurred at a depth of 8.46 kilometers, was also felt in Istanbul, Bursa, Kocaeli, İzmir, Yalova, Eskişehir, and Balıkesir. A second quake of 4.0 magnitude followed at 1:12 PM, with a depth of 10.59 kilometers.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that AFAD and other relevant teams have been dispatched to the area for assessments, stating, “We extend our condolences to those affected by the earthquake. May God protect our country and nation from disasters.”
Kütahya Governor Musa Işın reported no casualties or significant damages so far, though eight abandoned houses in Yemişli village sustained minor damage. He noted that the area had experienced a 4.6 magnitude earthquake earlier this year, followed by hundreds of aftershocks.
Eyewitnesses described the quake as intense, with some reporting panic and minor structural damage. Simav Mayor Kübra Tekel Aktulun confirmed that search and rescue teams are on the ground, and no major incidents have been reported.
Professor Dr. Hasan Sözbilir, Director of the Earthquake Research and Application Center at Dokuz Eylül University, explained that the earthquake was caused by the release of accumulated stress in the region, which is located on the active Simav Fault Zone. He warned of the possibility of continued seismic activity in the area.
