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A magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook the eastern Turkish province of Malatya on Thursday, causing panic among locals who are still haunted by the tragedies caused by two powerful earthquakes last year, according to a statement from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
AFAD said the earthquake was centered in the Battalgazi district and struck at 4:04 p.m., adding that there were no reports of any damage or casualties caused by the tremor.
The quake was at a depth of 13.9 kilometers, AFAD said.
Some people rushed outdoors in panic from their houses or workplaces.
The tremor was felt across the neighboring provinces of Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman, which were hardest hit by magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 earthquakes on February 6. The earthquakes claimed the lives of more than 50,000 people across more than 10 provinces in Turkey’s south and southeast and led to massive destruction.
Experts say the aftershocks of the February 6 earthquakes could continue for a long time in the region.
The February 6 earthquakes leveled thousands of buildings and has sparked outrage from victims and people across Turkey over poor quality construction, given the fact that Turkey is located on major fault lines.