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The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the February 6, 2023, earthquakes in Turkey and recurrent aftershocks on balance and post-traumatic stress in surviving victims. Our study included 1004 participants aged 18–65 years who were exposed to the February 6 earthquakes and aftershocks in Turkey. After obtaining online consent from all participants, the Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS), the Dizziness Handicap Index (DHI), and the Posttraumatic Post-Traumatic Disorder Checklist Scale (PCL-5) were administered online, and the interactions between the variable sets were examined using a correlational screening model. As a result of the structural equation model established with the observed variables, it was found that VSS total scores had a statistically significant positive effect on PCL-5 (β1 = 0.56; p = 0.001 < 0.05). In addition, statistically significant positive high-level correlations were found between VSS and DHI (cov VSS-DHI = 0.71), and a positive low level correlation with the number of days with dizziness (cov VSS-number of days with dizziness = 0.34), and a positive low level correlation with frequency of days with dizziness (cov VSS-frequency of days with dizziness = 0.37). A statistically significant positive low-level relationship was found between DHI and the number of days with dizziness (cov DHI-number of days with dizziness = 0.34) and a positive low-level correlation between DHI and the frequency of days with dizziness (cov DHI-frequency of days with dizziness = 0.29). The structural equation modeling analysis showed that post-traumatic stress disorder had a significant effect on balance and dizziness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]