News Anchor Pauses Live Interview, Asks Producer To Call Her Mother During Istanbul Earthquake

A live television broadcast turned tense on Monday afternoon when a CNN Turk anchor interrupted an ongoing interview as a powerful earthquake struck parts of Turkey. Visibly shaken and anxious, presenter Meltem Bozbeyoglu 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 apologise if I made you panic."

6.2 Earthquake intensity on CNN live in Istanbul, Turkey
News anchor is quite scared. pic.twitter.com/WLQxgExsh5

— Disasters Daily (@DisastersAndI) April 23, 2025

The emotional moment unfolded as three earthquakes, the strongest measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, struck just before 1 PM local time. The epicentre was located around 40 km south of Istanbul, under the Sea of Marmara, but the impact was strong enough to be felt across Turkey's largest city. People were seen rushing out of homes, cafes, and shops in panic.

Despite the intensity, authorities 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). No buildings are known to have collapsed.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared a message on social media, saying, "I offer my best wishes to our citizens affected by the earthquake. May God protect our country and our nation from disasters."

The 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.