An earthquake shook western Turkey overnight. The epicenter of the 5.9-magnitude quake was in the Black Sea province of Düzce, according to the Turkish civil protection agency. The tremors were felt around 4:00 a.m. local time even in the 16-million metropolis of Istanbul, regarding 200 kilometers away, and in the Turkish capital Ankara. There were several followingshocks.
The mayor of the provincial capital of the same name, Düzce, Faruk Özlü, reported on the CNN Türk broadcaster that residents were panicking. So far, however, there has been no major damage to buildings and no serious injuries or deaths. The station showed images of people wrapped in blankets holding out on the street. It was “incredibly wobbly,” reported a local journalist. The civil protection announced that it would interrupt the power supply in the region for control purposes. The authority called on everyone to remain calm.
