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No casualties reported in Istanbul quake — interior minister

Ali Yerlikaya said that a hotline that has been set up has already received "6,100 calls and messages," most of them being "requests for information"

ANKARA, April 23. /TASS/. After the main, magnitude 6.2 earthquake that hit Istanbul today, 51 aftershocks were registered in the Marmara Sea, but no casualties have been registered as a result, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

"Today at 12:49 p.m. (coincides with Moscow time - TASS) an earthquake of magnitude 6.2 occurred in the Marmara Sea. The earthquake, which was centered at a depth of about 7 km, lasted a total of 13 seconds," he said on X.

"It was felt in the surrounding provinces, especially in Istanbul. 51 aftershocks followed, the strongest one recorded at a magnitude of 5.9. There were no casualties. There have also been no recorded collapses of residential buildings."

He also said that a hotline that has been set up has already received "6,100 calls and messages," most of them being "requests for information."

"All our [specialist] teams reacted promptly. Inspections have been carried out, and it was found that no buildings collapsed. On-site inspections are continuing," Yerlikaya said. He added that "the infrastructure and power lines were not damaged."

The Istanbul Provincial Governor's Office earlier confirmed that there were no casualties as a result of the earthquake, but 151 people were injured. Most of those who were wounded were trying to get out of buildings and onto the street in panic.