After the 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Istanbul on Wednesday afternoon, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the crisis center at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority's (AFAD) Istanbul directorate to assess the situation.
The earthquake, which occurred off the coast of Silivri in the Marmara Sea, prompted immediate action from local authorities and emergency response teams.
Erdoğan arrived in Istanbul shortly after the quake and spent about an hour at the crisis center in Hasdal, where he received a comprehensive briefing from relevant ministers and officials on the ongoing response efforts.
The president was accompanied by Ömer Çelik, deputy chairperson of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and party spokesperson, as well as Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun.
In a post shared on his social media account, President Erdoğan reassured the public about the government's immediate response. He emphasized that a comprehensive meeting was held shortly after the earthquake at the AFAD Istanbul Provincial Disaster Directorate, where officials discussed the situation and coordinated efforts to minimize the impact.
Among those present at the meeting were Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu and Istanbul Governor Davut Gül.
The meeting provided updates on the ongoing efforts to assess the earthquake's effects, with Erdoğan assuring that the measures taken so far were effective. He noted that no significant damage had been reported and emphasized the swift action taken to ensure the safety of citizens. Erdoğan also stated that no casualties had been recorded as a result of the earthquake, reassuring the public that the state’s emergency services were on full alert to respond to any further developments.
"Thank God, there seems to be no serious issues in the cities where the earthquake was felt," President Erdoğan said, reassuring citizens that there was no cause for alarm. He also highlighted the ongoing search and rescue operations, which had been underway since the early afternoon.
Following the briefing, President Erdoğan visited Kağıthane Municipality's Hasbahçe Social Facilities, where he met with residents affected by the earthquake.
During his visit, Erdoğan engaged in conversations with citizens, shared a cup of tea and took photos with children, offering support and reassurance to the local community.
Kağıthane Mayor Mevlüt Öztekin and AK Party Istanbul Provincial Chair Abdullah Özdemir also joined the president for the visit, which aimed to show solidarity with the people of Istanbul and assess the progress of recovery efforts following the earthquake.
