Four Istanbul schools evacuated over earthquake risk

ANKARA

Authorities evacuated four schools in Istanbul following last week's tremor, over concerns about their earthquake resistance, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin announced on April 30.

Istanbul was struck by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on April 23. While there were no casualties or major destruction, around 3,000 buildings were reported to have sustained minor damage, according to an April 29 statement.

Three of the four school buildings evacuated in the city are historical structures that were deemed seismically risky, Tekin said, without disclosing the names of the schools.

Following the April 23 quake, hundreds of aftershocks were recorded, while thousands of people spent the night in public areas last week. Authorities opened schools, sports centers and mosques overnight to accommodate those who were unwilling to return to their homes.

Tekin noted that they hosted around 100,000 people in schools and provided guidance and psychological support services.