The province of Düzce, east of Istanbul, witnessed a 6.0-magnitude earthquake early morning Wednesday, injuring at least 50 people.

Turkish authorities said the magnitude recorded 5.9 as opposed to the 6.1 given by the US Geological Survey, and its epicenter was in the province's Golyaka district - residents strongly felt the earthquake in Istanbul.

"We were woken up with a big noise and tremor," Düzce resident Fatma Colak told AFP, adding, "We got out of our homes in panic and now we are waiting outside."

In a tweet, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca confirmed that 35 people were injured - 32 in Düzce, one in Istanbul, and two others in the provinces of Bolu and Zonguldak. 

Later, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu confirmed that the number of those injured in the 6.0 magnitude earthquake in western Turkey increased to 50.

"We had 50 injured, 33 of them were discharged from hospitals," the Minister said.

Soylu relayed during his visit to Golyaka that one person was critically hurt after panicking and jumping from a balcony, further adding that 70 aftershocks had been recorded. Aside from a few ruined barns, no heavy damage or building collapses were reported, but inspections are still ongoing. 

In light of the earthquake, authorities confirmed that schools would be closed on Wednesday in Düzce and nearby Sakarya.

Per instructions by the National disaster agency, AFAD, blackouts were being controlled, and it asked residents not to panic.

A magnitude 6.0 Earthquake has struck an area of western Turkey near the city of #Duzce, about 210km (130 miles) east of #Turkey largest city #Istanbul.

Get well soon #Türkiye 🙏#istanbuldeprem Kandilli #deprem #düzce #Earthquake #Ankara Yataktan Hissetmeyen Saat 04.08 #Bolu pic.twitter.com/HZnB3EpWPk

— Cem Kayalar 🇹🇷 (@cemkayalarr35) November 23, 2022

A magnitude 6.0 Earthquake has struck an area of western Turkey near the town of #Duzce, about 210km (130 miles) east of #Turkey largest city #Istanbul.#istanbuldeprem #kayseri #deprem #düzce #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/LrfDOCEgZG

— Himanshu dixit 💙 (@HimanshuDixitt) November 23, 2022

A first since 1999

The last time Düzce was hit with an earthquake was in 1999 by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, recorded as the worst to hit the country in decades. 

It was so massive that more than 17,000 people were killed, including around 1,000 in Istanbul.

Back in January 2020, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Elazig in eastern Turkey killing more than 40, followed by a magnitude-7.0 quake hitting the Aegean Sea in November, killing 114 people and wounding more than 1,000.