• Friday morning tremor shakes central Turkey with no reported damage.

• Residents leave homes fearing aftershocks despite cold weather.

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.5 struck central Turkey on Friday morning, according to the country’s emergency management agency. The tremor prompted some residents to leave their homes and head into the streets despite the cold, while no material damage has been reported so far.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the quake’s epicenter was in the town of Niksar in Tokat province, at a depth of 6.4 kilometers, and occurred at 3:35 a.m., felt across several provinces.

The agency added that no negative developments have been reported as a result of the quake.

Local media observed many residents waiting in their cars or outdoors, hesitant to return home due to the freezing temperatures.

Turkey sits on major fault lines, making it prone to frequent seismic activity.

Estimates show that strong earthquakes can be devastating; in 2023, a 7.8-magnitude quake killed over 53,000 people in Turkey and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings across 11 southern and southeastern provinces, while around 6,000 people were killed in northern Syria.