The incident, which started at 12:49 pm local time during a public holiday when many children were out of school and celebrating in the streets, caused widespread panic in Istanbul, which is on tenterhooks due to the looming threat of a major earthquake.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 has jolted Istanbul and nearby areas on Wednesday, Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency said.
There were no immediate reports of serious damage in the metropolis of 16 million.
More than 150 people were hospitalised with injuries sustained while attempting to flee buildings, the Istanbul governor’s office said.
Read more at: euronews.com