4.1-magnitude earthquake hits Turkey's Marmara region

ISTANBUL

An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale jolted the Marmara region in the early hours on Nov. 30.

The epicenter of the temblor was the Çınarcık district of the northwestern province of Yalova, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The earthquake was felt by residents in Istanbul, and the northwestern provinces of Bursa, Kocaeli and Tekirdağ.

“The earthquake occurred at 5:36 a.m (local time). There are no reported casualties,” Yalova Governor Muammer Erol said in a statement.

Turkey is one of the most seismic areas in the world, with Istanbul sitting near a major fault line.

A total of 10,503 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4 or above hit Turkey between 1900 and 2017.

In 1999, the Marmara region was hit by the worst seismic disaster in Turkey’s recent history.

The 1999 quake had a magnitude of 7.5 and hit the Marmara region, the most industrial and densely populated region of the country, killing 17,480 people.

Over 285,000 buildings were damaged and 600,000 people were left homeless after the 45-second quake, which left social and economic wounds that took years to heal.

Japanese expert expects Marmara earthquake within two decades