A new earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale struck the northwestern Turkish province of Bursa at midday, sparking fears among residents of the region, which is located in an area of high seismic risk. The tremor, which could also be felt in Istanbul, comes just a day after two other earthquakes hit the same region yesterday.
According to data released by the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) and published by the Turkish public broadcaster TRT, the 4.3 earthquake struck at 13:57 local time (11:57 CET) at a depth of 12.93 kilometres with its epicentre in the district of Gemlik, a town on the Sea of Marmara coast of the province of Bursa.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) set the power of the tremor to 4.2, adding that the epicentre of the quake was at 5 kilometres northeast of the urban centre of Gemlik, in the town of Şahinyurdu. The quake, which could also be felt in Istanbul, sparked concern among residents of Gemlik and other nearby districts but no personal or material damage was reported, according to authorities, who continue to assess the situation and have called on the population to remain calm and follow safety protocols in the event of such emergencies.
At least 3 earthquakes in a day have hit Gemlik
The main concern among the inhabitants of the region is that this new seismic movement could be the precursor of a larger earthquake; just yesterday two other earthquakes were felt, again with epicentre in Gemlik: one at 11:47 am with an intensity of 3.9, registered at a depth of 9.82 kilometres, which was followed just over an hour later by another of greater intensity that reached 4.2 degrees and occurred at 12:57 noon, at a depth of 10.14 kilometres, as also reported by TRT.
Gemlik is a port city located about 90 kilometres south of Istanbul along the Marmara coast, which in recent years has experienced a remarkable boom due to its automobile industry – the production of the Turkish brand TOGG and a battery factory are located here – and its relative proximity to Istanbul itself, which is only 1 hour away by car thanks to the new motorway and the construction of the Osmangazi bridge over the Gulf of Izmit, considered the 4th longest bridge in the world.
But Gemlik is also just a short distance from a branch of the North Anatolian Fault, which is 1,500 kilometres long and runs through the whole of northern Turkey, and has been responsible for devastating earthquakes, such as the Erzincan earthquake in 1939 or, more recently, the Great Marmara Earthquake of 1999, which devastated the region and left thousands dead.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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