A magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook Türkiye’s northwestern Çanakkale province late Tuesday, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said.
In a statement, AFAD said the quake took place at 11:38 p.m. local time.
The quake took place in the Aegean Sea, 6 kilometers off the coast of Çanakkale’s Ayvacık district, according to AFAD.
No adverse situations have been reported so far and field assessment efforts are ongoing, AFAD said.
Türkiye is one of the most seismically active regions in the world due to its location at the intersection of several major tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, African and Arabian plates. This geographical positioning makes it highly susceptible to earthquakes, which has led to an increased focus on earthquake preparedness and risk mitigation in recent years.
The Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş were a stark reminder of the catastrophic potential of seismic events, leaving devastating losses in their wake.
In response, Türkiye has ramped up efforts to better understand its seismic risks and improve its disaster response capabilities.
Seismic activity in Türkiye is primarily concentrated along several fault zones, including the North Anatolian Fault, which runs from the Aegean Sea in the west to the eastern part of the country.
The country’s fault lines are responsible for some of the most destructive earthquakes in modern history, such as the 1999 Izmit earthquake, which killed thousands and caused extensive damage to the surrounding areas.