A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 shook Istanbul in one of the strongest quakes to strike the city in recent years.
There were no immediate reports of damage, but people evacuated buildings in the Turkish city as the quake hit and shook the city, located on the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus Strait.
Local media reports that one person had been injured as a result of jumping off a balcony during the quake, which occurred during a public holiday in Turkey.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said the earthquake had a magnitude 6.02. It was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles) GFZ said.
Turkey's national flags are displayed on buildings in Istanbul
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People leave the buildings in panic and call their loved ones after 6.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Istanbul,
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The earthquake has struck the Turkish city
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The country was devastated by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2023, which killed more than 50,000 people and levelled tens of thousands of buildings in eastern Turkey and Syria.
One eyewitness told local media: "When the sofa began to shake, it took us two seconds to realise what was going on. Without saying anything to each other we immediately stepped outside and saw people were also out in the streets."
Another added: "I was at work in a meeting and all of a sudden things began to shake. I was confused and couldn’t understand what was going on."
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on social media: "Regarding the earthquake that was also felt in the surrounding provinces, AFAD and all teams of our relevant institutions have started field scans.
"I offer my best wishes to our citizens affected by the earthquake."
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People leave the buildings in panic and call their loved ones after 6.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Istanbul
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People leave the buildings in panic in Istanbul city centre
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An aerial view of the TFF Levent Pavilion building, which opens on April 24
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The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said there were "no serious cases" after the earthquake in a statement on social media.
A BBC reporter in the city said: "I have felt previous earthquakes in my building, but in my six years living in Istanbul, I have never felt one as strong as this."
Hospitals in the city are reporting that many patients were admitted due to anxiety and panic as citizens could be seen rushing into the streets and parks.
Kemal Cebi, the mayor of Kucukcekmece district in western Istanbul, told local broadcaster NTV that there were 'no negative developments yet'.
Cebi added that there were traffic jams and that many buildings were already at risk due to the density of the area.
