KOCAELI, Turkey

An Italian scientist was caught in an earthquake on Thursday, when he was delivering a speech in an earthquake symposium in Turkey's northwestern Kocaeli province.

The 5.8-magnitude earthquake, which centered in the Sea of Marmara, occurred when Prof. Dario Albarello was giving a presentation at the 6th International Earthquake Symposium.

Albarello, who is a lecturer at the Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment in Italy’s University of Siena, said he realized the earthquake due to the swinging of a chandelier in the hall.

Besides Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city, the earthquake was also felt in nearby urban areas such as Kocaeli, Sakarya, Tekirdag, Edirne and Kirklareli.