Emotional moment captured as tremors shake studio during CNN Turk broadcast
A live television broadcast took a dramatic turn Monday afternoon when CNN Turk anchor Meltem Bozbeyoglu interrupted an ongoing interview as a powerful earthquake struck parts of Turkey. Visibly shaken and anxious, the presenter asked her producer to contact her mother as tremors rocked the studio in Istanbul.
“We felt it terribly,” said Bozbeyoglu, out of breath and trying to maintain composure. Speaking through her earpiece, she was heard asking a colleague, “Can you reach my mother?” before leaving a message: “Can you please reach me on WhatsApp?”
The 32-year-old anchor, still live on air, added, “I’m 32 years old, and this is the first time I’ve experienced such a big earthquake.” After a brief pause, she turned to viewers and said, “I was frightened; I apologize if I made you panic.”
Series of tremors strike near Turkey’s largest city
The emotional moment unfolded as three earthquakes, the strongest measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, struck just before 1 PM local time. The epicenter was located approximately 40 km south of Istanbul, under the Sea of Marmara, but the impact was strong enough to be felt across Turkey’s largest city. Witnesses reported people rushing out of homes, cafes, and shops in panic.
No casualties reported despite the intensity
Despite the significant strength of the earthquake, authorities have reported no casualties or structural damage. “There are no reports of any loss of life or destruction as of now,” said the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). Officials confirmed that no buildings are known to have collapsed.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared a message on social media following the event, saying, “I offer my best wishes to our citizens affected by the earthquake. May God protect our country and our nation from disasters.”
Recent history of seismic activity
Monday’s tremors come just over two years after a catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria in February 2023, killing over 59,000 people. That disaster remains one of the deadliest natural catastrophes in the region’s recent history.
The Istanbul area, home to over 15 million people, sits near several fault lines and has long been considered at risk for significant seismic events by geological experts.
