UN chief stands in solidarity with Türkiye as 6.2 magnitude earthquake shakes Istanbul

HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday expressed his "full solidarity" with Türkiye following a powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Istanbul in the afternoon local time.

"May I, first of all, express to the government and the people of Türkiye my full solidarity in these difficult moments," Guterres said ahead of his press conference at UN headquarters in New York on the climate crisis.

A powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye's Istanbul on Wednesday, injuring 151 people in panic-driven incidents, none of whom suffered life-threatening wounds, officials said.

The earthquake's epicenter was in Istanbul's Silivri district, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The quake hit at 12.49 local time (0949 GMT) and was felt strongly across Istanbul, home to over 15 million people, and neighboring provinces, prompting residents to flee buildings in fear.