5.0 magnitude earthquake hits eastern Turkey

Published on

18/07/2026 - 8:49 GMT+2

A 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Saturday, the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported.

The quake hit the Battalgazi district of Malatya province at around 6:20 a.m. local time and could be felt in the provinces of Malatya, Elazığ, Adıyaman, Tunceli, and Şanlıurfa, per the AFAD.

"There are currently no reports of any adverse circumstances," and an "on-site assessment" is ongoing, it added.

According to the agency, Turkey, which is one of the world's most seismically active countries, experiences at least one 5.0 magnitude tremor every year.

The nation has seen a number of catastrophic earthquakes, including the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which killed almost 33,000 people, and the 1999 İzmit quake, which left around 17,000 dead.

In 2023, two devastating tremors also hit Turkey's southern Kahramanmaraş province, reportedly causing more than 53,000 fatalities. The financial impact of that quake has been estimated to have been at close to 10% of Turkey's 2023 GDP.