Fatima Çelik
BBC Turkish, reporting from Istanbul
Although the earthquakes hit Istanbul on a weekday afternoon, Wednesday is a
national holiday here, so schools, universities and public institutions were closed.
This meant that more people than usual were at home when the quake struck.
Worried about aftershocks and whether buildings were safe, hundreds of
residents have decided to spend the night outdoors.
In Beşiktaş, one of the city’s
busiest neighbourhoods, people have gathered in open spaces like the main
square.
Selim Ustaoğlu, a university student, was in his dorm room when the
tremors began.
“At first I thought I was going to faint,” he says. “Then
I realized it was an earthquake. I yelled to alert others and ran
outside.”
He packed a small bag with essentials like a charger, toothbrush
and his favourite sweater before heading to the square. “I’m staying here
tonight,” he says.
“I was in the supermarket with my family when everything started to
shake,” says Zeynep Akıncıoğlu, another student. “We rushed outside.
I don’t feel safe going back inside, our building doesn’t look strong.”
Omar Syed, who is originally from India and has lived in Istanbul for 10 years, says it was the strongest quake he has ever experienced.
“My wife and I were having brunch when it started. We left our building immediately,” he says. “You never really feel prepared for something like this.”
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