ISTANBUL

 A powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye’s Istanbul on Wednesday, injuring at least 236 people in panic-driven incidents, officials said.

The earthquake's epicenter was in Istanbul's Silivri district, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The quake hit at 12.49 local time (0949 GMT) and was felt strongly across Istanbul, home to over 15 million people, and neighboring provinces, prompting residents to flee buildings in fear.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of nearly 7 kilometers (4.3 miles), and it lasted 13 seconds, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

The governor's office added that 236 people were injured after jumping from heights out of panic and that their treatment is ongoing in hospitals, with none of them in a life-threatening condition.

“As of 5:55 p.m., a total of 127 aftershocks have occurred, the largest of which measured 5.9,” said Yerlikaya.

"As of now, a total of 378 structural damage reports have been received based on classified requests submitted to the 112 emergency line," Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said, adding that nine of the houses have been identified as requiring evacuation.

“Our teams from the Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change have identified evacuation requirements for 9 houses,” the official added.

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AFAD said that following the assessment of reports received by the 112 Emergency Call Center, there were currently no reports of casualties or destruction.

The agency said all relevant institutions and response teams had been mobilized, and field scans were underway to assess potential damage and ensure public safety.

Istanbul's governor's office also said that so far, "no reports of destruction have been received, and our relevant units are continuing their field scanning efforts."

It warned citizens not to enter buildings that were damaged or suspected to be damaged due to the tremors, to avoid using vehicles unless necessary, and to refrain from using mobile networks except in emergencies.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "I extend my well wishes to our citizens; we are closely monitoring the developments."

He received information about the earthquakes from the interior minister, environment minister, and health minister, as well as the head of AFAD and the governor of Istanbul, according to the Communications Directorate.

"Thankfully, there appears to be no troubling situation at the moment," Erdogan said.