A strong earthquake struck Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday afternoon, according to foreign media. The quake, which measured 6.2 on the Richter scale, was felt in the provinces of Tekirdag, Yalova, Bursa and Balikesir, as well as the coastal city of Izmir, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) south of Istanbul.
The tremor caused widespread panic in the city of 16 million people, but there were no reports of serious damage.
At least 236 people were treated for trying to jump from buildings or for panic – most of them in Istanbul, where the risk of another earthquake is high, foreign media said.
The earthquake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (about 6 miles), and its epicenter was located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Istanbul, in the Sea of Marmara. The tremors lasted for more than 15 seconds and were followed by several aftershocks, the report said.
