Critical statement from AFAD: Earthquake hazard explained with colors

AFAD shared a video on its social media account containing a statement regarding the Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map and briefings from officials. The statement noted that the map in question came into effect in January 2019 and was prepared by numerous expert researchers from universities and public institutions.

WHAT DO THE COLORS MEAN?

The statement, which mentioned that the map shows the earthquake hazard of a location in terms of peak ground acceleration, included the information: "According to the Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map, there are a total of 485 active fault segments in our country, and the colors changing from light yellow to dark red represent the increase in acceleration from low to high."

It was noted that the map can be accessed via the website "https://tdth.afad.gov.tr".

VIDEO REGARDING THE EARTHQUAKE HAZARD MAP

In the shared video, it was seen that Orhan Tatar, General Manager of Earthquake and Risk Reduction, Aykut Akgün, Head of the Earthquake Department, Teoman Selçuk Köksal, Head of the Earthquake Engineering Group, and civil engineer Zehra Özçelik provided information via a screen displaying the Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map at the Structural Health Monitoring Center.

General Manager of Earthquake and Risk Reduction Tatar stated the following:

"The Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map came into effect in January 2019. This map was prepared by numerous expert researchers from 7 universities and public institutions with a multi-stakeholder approach. The most important foundation of the Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map is the Turkey Active Fault Map prepared by the MTA. In addition to this map, Historical and Instrumental Period Earthquake Catalogs are also used. The Turkey Active Fault Map was last updated by the MTA in 2013. According to this map, there are a total of 485 active fault segments in our country. As data on active faults and the earthquakes they generate increases, such active fault maps are also updated."

Speaking after the display of past earthquake hazard maps in the video, Head of the Earthquake Department Akgün shared the information: "The Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map is not a risk map as reflected in the public, but a map that shows the earthquake hazard of a place in terms of peak ground acceleration. Peak ground acceleration can be defined in its simplest terms as one of the parameters showing the magnitude of the shaking that an earthquake can cause on the ground."

Akgün explained that in the previous map used between 1996 and 2019, earthquake hazard was divided into different degrees from 1 to 5 regionally, whereas in the currently effective Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map, the concept of "earthquake zone" has been eliminated and point-based peak ground acceleration values are provided instead.

HOW TO ACCESS THE EARTHQUAKE HAZARD MAP?

Head of the Earthquake Engineering Group Köksal stated that the Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map can be easily accessed via e-Government through the redirection on the website "https://tdth.afad.gov.tr/".

Köksal expressed, "The values given on the map do not include the hazards that local soil conditions may create. The Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map can be used in various fields, primarily in the design of earthquake-resistant buildings."

Civil engineer Özçelik explained that acceleration values on the Turkey Earthquake Hazard Map are colored according to their magnitude, and that the colors changing from light yellow to dark red represent the increase in acceleration from low to high.

News Source: 12punto