A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Turkiye early Tuesday morning, triggering widespread panic among residents and tourists. The tremor, centered in the Mediterranean Sea near the popular holiday destination of Marmaris, prompted dozens of people to jump from windows and balconies in fear, resulting in numerous injuries.
According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the quake occurred at 2:17 a.m. local time and was felt across southwestern Turkey and parts of the neighboring Greek island of Rhodes. The epicenter was at a depth of 60 kilometers (37 miles), which seismologists say helped reduce potential structural damage.
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Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the death of a 14-year-old girl who suffered a fatal anxiety attack and died after being taken to the hospital. Nearly 70 other individuals were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, most sustained while attempting to flee buildings in panic.
“There is no major structural damage reported so far,” Yerlikaya stated on platform X (formerly Twitter), assuring the public that emergency response teams were deployed immediately.
Residents of Rhodes, Greece, also felt the quake, prompting evacuations from homes and hotels during the night. According to local authorities, the impact was mild, and no major damage was recorded. Efthymios Lekkas, head of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, emphasized that the quake’s depth likely minimized its surface impact.
“Although it was felt over a wide area, the depth of 60 km means it will not significantly impact the surface,” Lekkas told Greek state television.
