Turkey Earthquake Today

Official sources for earthquakes in Türkiye

AFAD (Afet ve Acil Durum Yönetimi Başkanlığı) is the government agency responsible for disaster response, and it publishes a list of recent earthquakes from its national network along with official announcements. Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, part of Boğaziçi University, has monitored earthquakes for many decades and publishes its own catalog. Turkish media quote both, so you may see two slightly different magnitudes for the same event.

Internationally, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) locate earthquakes in Türkiye too. EMSC is especially useful for the region because it combines data from many European and Mediterranean networks and collects felt reports. You can view USGS-reported events on the EQRadar live map of Türkiye and look back at earlier activity in the history view. For instructions about evacuation, shelters or building safety, follow AFAD and your provincial governorship rather than any website.

Reading the numbers: magnitude, time and depth

Different agencies use different stations and methods. AFAD and Kandilli often report a local magnitude for smaller earthquakes, while USGS usually reports moment Magnitude for larger ones. A difference of 0.1 to 0.3 between sources is common and does not mean anyone is wrong. The first automatic value can also be updated after a seismologist reviews it; see our glossary entry on review status.

Türkiye uses UTC+3 all year, so an earthquake listed by USGS at 10:00 UTC happened at 13:00 local time. Most earthquakes in Türkiye are shallow, within the upper 10 to 30 kilometers or so of the crust. That is one reason moderate events there can be felt strongly, because there is little distance between the rupture and the surface. Our lesson on why depth matters explains this.

Why Türkiye has so many earthquakes

Most of Türkiye sits on the Anatolian plate, a block of crust being squeezed westward as the Arabian plate pushes north into the Eurasian plate. Two major strike-slip faults carry most of that motion. The North Anatolian Fault runs for well over 1,000 kilometers across northern Türkiye, from the east to the Sea of Marmara. The East Anatolian Fault runs southwest from eastern Türkiye toward the Mediterranean coast.

Western Türkiye has a different style of faulting. The crust there is being stretched, creating basins and normal faults around cities such as İzmir and Denizli. In the south, the African plate sinks beneath the region along the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs, which also affects Turkish coasts. You can read more about plate boundaries in how plates move.

During the twentieth century, a series of large earthquakes broke the North Anatolian Fault in segments, generally moving westward from the 1939 Erzincan earthquake toward the 1999 İzmit earthquake. Scientists widely consider the segments beneath the Sea of Marmara, south of Istanbul, capable of a large future earthquake. No one can say when, which is why preparation and building safety matter so much.

Notable earthquakes in Türkiye

The February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes were among the deadliest disasters in modern Turkish history. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the East Anatolian Fault zone was followed about nine hours later by a separate magnitude 7.5 earthquake to the north. More than 50,000 people died in Türkiye, and many more in neighboring Syria.

Hazards to know about

In Türkiye, the greatest danger in a strong earthquake is building collapse, especially in older or poorly built structures. Aftershocks can continue for months after a large event and may bring down already damaged buildings, so do not re-enter a damaged building until officials say it is safe. After the 2023 earthquakes, aftershocks continued for a long time across a very wide area.

Coastal areas on the Aegean, Mediterranean and Sea of Marmara can be affected by tsunamis, usually local ones. If you are on the coast and feel strong or long shaking, move inland or to higher ground right away. Liquefaction of loose, wet soils near rivers and coasts can also damage foundations, as seen in parts of the Marmara region in 1999.

If you felt an earthquake in Türkiye

These steps are general guidance. Local authorities know which buildings and areas are safe, so their instructions always come first.

1. During shaking: Drop, Cover and Hold On. Do not run for the stairs or use elevators.
2. Afterward: check for injuries, gas leaks and fire, and leave a building that is visibly damaged.
3. Check AFAD for official information and instructions, and Kandilli or EMSC for details of the event.
4. Use text messages instead of calls so phone networks stay open for emergencies.
5. Expect aftershocks, and see what to do after an earthquake for next steps.

Frequently asked questions