Magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits northern Turkish province of Tokat
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 shook the northern Turkish province of Tokat and caused panic among locals. Tremors damaged some houses, barns, and mosques in Tokat and nearby Yozgat province.
Duvar English
On April 18 at 18:11 local time, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit the town of Sulusaray in the Artova district of northern Tokat province.
The tremors damaged 191 houses, 84 barns, seven mosques and a bakery in 30 villages in three different districts.
Two earthquakes of magnitude 4.7 and 4.1 also occurred one hour apart at midnight in the province and schools in three districts were closed on April 16. After the 5.6 earthquake, aftershocks with magnitudes of 4.0, 4.4 and 4.1 also hit the province.
Making a video statement on the social media account of the governor's office, Governor Numan Hatipoğlu stated that the teams were carrying out screening activities for possible damages.
At 20:02, Sulusaray District Mayor Davut Kılıç confirmed that all villages in the district had been reached and reported no deaths or injuries.
In the infographic shared by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, it was stated that nearby Samsun, Yozgat, Çankırı, and Çorum provinces also felt the tremors.
Tokat Governor's Office later warned that tap water should not be drank in several districts and one town.
Schools were closed in the affected districts in Tokat and Yozgat provinces for one day. Gaziosmanpaşa Universitey also closed for one day and all the midterms are cancelled until further notice.
AFAD and Turkish Red Crescent set up tents in some of the villages for those living in the damaged houses.