An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter Scale hit Turkey's most populous Istanbul city, triggering panic and forcing people to flee their apartments on Wednesday.

As per the United States Geological Survey website, the epicentre of the quake was located in Marmara Sea, about 80 km (50 miles) west of Istanbul and at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The scale of the damage caused due to the earthquake is still not clear.

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No casualties have been reported so far.

As per local media reports, two other quakes, measuring 3.9 and 4.4 on the Richter Scale, were also reported from the area.

Turkey's Minister Confirms Earthquake

Turkey's Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the earthquakes and wrote on X: "An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 occurred in Silivri, Marmara Sea, Istanbul. All teams from AFAD and our relevant institutions have started field scans regarding the earthquake that was also felt in the surrounding provinces."

People Rushed Out Of Buildings

As buildings shook, people rushed onto the streets where crowds of worried-looking people stared at their mobile phones for information or made calls, reported Hurriyet Daily News.

The city's governor's office said no damage to property has been reported so far.

The office told the newspaper, "Until now, we have no information about any buildings collapsing."

However, the office directed people to avoid any structure that might be damaged due to the quake.

Istanbul residents told local media that it was one of the strongest earthquakes they have felt in recent times.

People reported lamps and other furniture crashing to the floor in their homes, reported BBC.

2023 Earthquake

More than 55,000 people died after two strong earthquakes hit southern Turkey in 2023, causing widespread damage to the region.

Istanbul, which lies just 20km to the north of the North Anatolian Fault Line, is the most populous city in Turkey.

According to reports, 16 million people live in the city.