Earthquake in western Türkiye shakes Istanbul

An earthquake near the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa was felt strongly across Istanbul on Wednesday, although there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake had a magnitude of 4.4, with its epicentre near the town of Gemlik, about 80 kilometers south of Istanbul, according to Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory.

Earlier on Tuesday, two additional moderate quakes also hit near Gemlik. The quakes caused panic in the town, broadcaster Habertürk reported.

The tremor was clearly felt on both the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, which has a population of around 16 million.

Türkiye sits on an active seismic zone and frequently experiences earthquakes, some of them severe. Experts regularly warn about the likelihood of a major quake striking the densely populated Marmara region which includes Istanbul.

Wednesday's quake was not on the major fault line that runs just off the city's coast.

That major fault line is widely expected by scientists to trigger a future and long-overdue quake estimated at around magnitude 7.

In April, Istanbul was shaken by an earthquake measuring 6.2.