A 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey early Saturday, sending tremors across several provinces but causing no reported casualties or damage, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The earthquake occurred at 6:20 a.m. local time (0320 GMT) in the Battalgazi district of Malatya Province. The tremor was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Elazig, Adiyaman, Tunceli and Sanliurfa, prompting emergency officials to carry out field assessments.
In a statement, AFAD said no adverse incidents had been recorded following the earthquake and that response teams remained on the ground to monitor the situation and conduct precautionary inspections.
Turkey lies on several active geological fault lines and is among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. The latest earthquake comes as the country continues to strengthen disaster preparedness following the devastating February 2023 earthquakes, which killed more than 53,000 people and caused widespread destruction across 11 provinces.
Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and follow official updates as monitoring of the affected areas continues.