Zeynep Aziz
A powerful earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on 30 October, shaking western Turkey and Greece. Several residential buildings collapsed in İzmir’s Bayraklı district, where most Turkish casualties occurred.
What happened
Search teams worked for days through unstable rubble and rescued several people alive. A localized tsunami flooded coastal communities around Seferihisar, while Samos also suffered deaths and damage.
Why it mattered
More than 100 people died in Turkey and over a thousand were injured. The concentration of collapses renewed concern about vulnerable buildings on soft ground.
Consequences
Turkish and Greek leaders exchanged messages of solidarity despite political tensions, while authorities began damage assessments, demolition and reconstruction.
