A 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Türkiye early Saturday, shaking several provinces but causing no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, according to the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The earthquake struck the Battalgazi district of Malatya province at 6:20am local time (0320 GMT) at a depth of 15.59 kilometres (9.69 miles), AFAD said.
The tremor was felt in the neighbouring provinces of Elazığ, Adıyaman, Tunceli and Şanlıurfa, prompting authorities to begin field inspections.
"There are currently no reports of any adverse circumstances," AFAD said in a statement, adding that on-site assessments were continuing.
Türkiye's Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum also said there were no immediate signs of damage.
"Following the earthquake in Battalgazi, there have been no adverse findings so far, but we are evaluating all reports," Kurum wrote on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
Türkiye among world's most earthquake-prone countries
Türkiye lies on several major fault lines and is one of the world's most seismically active countries, experiencing at least one magnitude 5.0 earthquake almost every year, according to AFAD.
The country has suffered several devastating earthquakes in its history, including the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which killed nearly 33,000 people, and the 1999 İzmit earthquake, which claimed around 17,000 lives.
More recently, twin earthquakes struck Kahramanmaraş province in February 2023, killing more than 53,000 people and causing widespread destruction across southern Türkiye. The economic losses from the disaster were estimated at nearly 10% of Türkiye's gross domestic product for that year.
Authorities said monitoring and inspections would continue following Saturday's quake.
