A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Wednesday, with no immediate reports of injuries, officials confirmed.
The quake hit at 10:46 a.m. (0746 GMT) in Kale, Malatya, a province that had already suffered from the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6, 2023, which killed more than 53,500 people in Turkey and nearly 6,000 in Syria.
Read more: 19 Years After the 2005 Earthquake: Incomplete Recovery and Unhealed Wounds
Turkey’s disaster management agency AFAD stated on X, “There has been no loss of life or property damage so far from the 5.9-magnitude quake.” However, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya later reported that three buildings had “partially collapsed” and emergency services received numerous calls for help.
Local authorities in Malatya said no “negative developments” had occurred, but the provincial governor decided to close all primary and secondary schools for the day.
The tremor was strongly felt in multiple cities, including Diyarbakir, located 140 kilometers (90 miles) southeast, as well as in Syria’s Hasakah, Deir al-Zor, and Aleppo provinces, according to local reports.
Television footage showed people rushing into the streets after experiencing the tremors in various locations.
