Around Sindirgi in Balikesir province, travelers may encounter diversions, cordoned-off streets, and increased police presence in areas undergoing safety inspections, but elsewhere it’s largely business as usual.
Visitors planning to stay in Balikesir—including popular spots such as Ayvalik, Cunda Island, and the Mount Ida region—should check in with their accommodation hosts for the latest local updates, steer clear of heritage buildings until they’ve been officially inspected, and keep itineraries flexible in case of temporary closures or route changes.
Why do so many earthquakes strike Türkiye?
Türkiye sits on one of the most seismically active regions in the world, straddling the complex collision zone between the Eurasian, African, and Arabian tectonic plates. The country records an average of around 20,000 tremors each year, though most are too small to be felt.
The country is crisscrossed by several major fault lines, the most notorious being the North Anatolian Fault, which runs roughly parallel to the Black Sea coast and has produced a series of devastating quakes over the past century.
To the east, the East Anatolian Fault marks another active boundary, while smaller but still dangerous faults thread through western Türkiye’s Aegean region.
As these massive plates grind, slip, and occasionally jolt past each other, stress builds until it’s released in the form of earthquakes—a process that makes tremors a regular, if unpredictable, part of life in the country.
How to receive earthquake alerts in Türkiye
Travelers can follow the latest earthquake advisories and safety updates from AFAD via its official website and social media channels. Local governors’ offices and municipalities also post area-specific notices, including cordon updates and road closures.
For visitors, embassies often share travel guidance on their own channels, while major Turkish news outlets such as Anadolu Agency and TRT World provide rolling coverage in English.
What to do during an earthquake aftershock
If an aftershock strikes and you are outdoors, resist the urge to go indoors to collect any belongings—AFAD warns against re-entering any building showing cracks, leaning walls, or other signs of damage until engineers give the all-clear.
If you’re inside when shaking begins, immediately drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on until it stops, then head for an open space well away from buildings, loose signage, or overhead power lines.
In all circumstances, follow cordons and instructions from local police or zabıta (municipal officers), who may block off streets during safety inspections and “red-tag” unsafe structures—entering these restricted zones can result in fines.
A version of this article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller Middle East.
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/earthquake-in-turkiye-2025