<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Turkey’s northwestern province of Balikesir on Sunday, causing about a dozen buildings to collapse, an official said. At least one person was trapped in the debris of a collapsed building.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The earthquake, with an epicentre in the town of Sindirgi, sent shocks that were felt some 200 kilometres (125 miles) to the north in Istanbul, a city of more than 16 million people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told the nationwide NTV broadcaster that five people, including an elderly woman, were rescued from a collapsed building in Sindirgi, while rescuers were trying to reach another person trapped the structure.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-gaza-update-benjamin-netanyahu-defends-planned-military-offensive-in-gaza-and-lashes-out-at-global-campaign-of-lies/3212d9c4-45e6-46be-b1b2-f7c43804d26c"><strong><span>Israeli PM lashes out at 'global campaign of lies'</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Several houses also collapsed in the nearby village of Golcuk, Sindirgi Mayor Serkan Sak said. The minaret of a mosque also tumbled down in the village.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said on X that four people were being treated in hospital. None of them were in life-threatening condition, he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“Our hope is to get through this without any loss of life," Ahmet Akin, the mayor of the provincial capital, which is also called Balikesir, told HaberTurk news channel.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/magnitude-61-earthquake-strikes-turkey-causing-about-a-dozen-buildings-to-collapse/f8ab905a-a3e9-4b5c-8b3c-7b21999775f1" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/koala-warning-queensland-drivers-bear-grylls/b2ebd96f-e116-4d09-a484-210cad57db30"><strong><span>Koala hit by car and trapped for 30km drive</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency said the earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 4.6, and urged citizens not to enter damaged buildings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement wishing all affected citizens a speedy recovery.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"May God protect our country from any kind of disaster,” he wrote on X.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-cement-mixer-heist/789f8a40-2fcb-476a-afb5-c24d72674a58"><strong><span>Cement mixer truck stolen and used in heist in Melbourne</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 southern and southeastern provinces. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighbouring Syria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/Z8tJCf"><strong><span>Sign up here</span></strong></a><strong><span> to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.</span></strong></div></div>