AnkaraTurkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck a city in northwest Turkey early Wednesday, triggering widespread panic but no immediate reports of major damage. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the town of Golakaya in Dujce Province, about 200 kilometers (125 mi) east of Istanbul. It struck at 04:08 am (01:08 GMT) and was felt in Istanbul, the capital Ankara and other parts of the country. At least 35 aftershocks were recorded. The earthquake woke people up and many people came out of buildings in panic in the province where earthquakes have struck before.
Power to the area was cut. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said 22 people were being treated in hospitals for injuries sustained during the panic, including jumping from balconies or windows. One of them was in serious condition, he told private NTV television. Dujce governor Cevdet Atay said schools in the area were being closed as a precaution.
On 12 November 1999, a powerful earthquake in Duzse killed about 800 people. In August that year, 17,000 people were killed by another powerful earthquake that devastated the nearby Kocaeli province and other parts of northwest Turkey. Turkey lies on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.