Magnitude 5.6 quake jolts Malatya

MALATYA

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck the Battalgazi district of the eastern province of Malatya on May 20, causing panic in the city and nearby provinces but no immediate reports of damage, officials said.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said the quake occurred at 9 a.m. at a depth of 7.03 kilometers.

The tremor was felt in several nearby provinces, including Kahramanmaraş, Diyarbakır, Adıyaman, Elazığ, Tunceli and Şanlıurfa.

AFAD said field inspections began immediately after the quake and that no negative situation had been reported so far.

A second tremor with a magnitude of 3.6 was recorded in Malatya at 10:21 a.m., at a depth of 12.1 kilometers, according to AFAD data.

Malatya Governor Seddar Yavuz said education across the province was suspended for one day as a precaution.

“Field inspections are continuing, and so far no negative report or information has been received,” Yavuz said.

Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said teams were in contact with all affected provinces and continued inspections on the ground.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said initial findings showed no problems on highways or communication infrastructure.

Health officials also said field teams were continuing checks and that no negative situation had been reported to the ministry.

Seismologist Prof. Dr. Süleyman Pampal told CNN Türk that Malatya is a sensitive region because of nearby active fault lines, warning that faults in the area have the potential to produce stronger earthquakes.

Authorities urged citizens to follow official statements and avoid unverified information.