Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced on Wednesday that a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Istanbul, causing widespread panic and prompting many residents to evacuate buildings immediately as the tremor occurred.

According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the quake measured 6.02 on the Richter scale, with no major casualties or material damage reported so far.

Witnesses reported crowds gathering in streets and public squares as emergency response teams swiftly moved in to assess the situation and monitor any potential risks in a city known as one of Turkey’s most seismically active zones.

Local authorities are closely following developments, and experts have issued warnings about possible aftershocks in the coming hours.