ANKARA: A magnitude 5.8 earthquake shook a coastal town in Turkey on Tuesday, causing panic among residents, officials said. Dozens were reported injured after jumping from windows or balconies to get out of their homes while a teenager died after being taken to the hospital.
No major damage was reported.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said the quake hit at 2:17 am and was centred in the Mediterranean Sea, off the holiday resort of Marmaris. It was felt in neighbouring regions, including on the Greek island of Rhodes, waking many from their sleep.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X that a 14-year-old girl was taken to hospital and died there after what he said was an anxiety attack. It was not known if she had any underlying conditions.
Nearly 70 other people were treated for injuries after jumping from windows or balconies in panic, he said. There were no reports of damage to buildings, he added.
Turkiye sits on top of major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.
In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkiye and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 southern and southeastern provinces. Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighbouring Syria.