ANKARA, Turkey — Officials reported that a coastal town in Turkey experienced a magnitude 5.8 earthquake on Tuesday, leading to panic among residents. Dozens of injuries were reported as people jumped from windows or balconies to flee their homes, while tragically, a teenager lost their life after being transported to the hospital.
No major damage was reported.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency stated that the earthquake struck at 2:17 a.m., originating in the Mediterranean Sea near the popular holiday destination of Marmaris. The tremors were felt in nearby areas, including the Greek island of Rhodes, abruptly waking many people.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya mentioned that a 14-year-old girl was taken to the hospital but tragically succumbed to what was described as an anxiety attack. There was uncertainty regarding whether she had any pre-existing medical conditions.
Nearly 70 other people were treated for injuries after jumping from windows or balconies in panic, he said. There were no reports of damage to buildings, he added.
On Rhodes, tourists and residents spent hours overnight outside their hotels and homes after feeling the temblor but island officials said the damage was minor.
That’s likely because the quake struck at a depth of 60 kilometers (37 miles), according to Efthymios Lekkas, head of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization.
“Although it was felt in a wider area … it will not have significant impact on the surface,” Lekkas told state-run television.
Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.
In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 southern and southeastern provinces. Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighboring Syria.
Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
