Istanbul earthquake controversy: Naci Görür's response to Ahmet Ercan was swift
Responding to Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ercan's challenge, "Show me evidence for an Istanbul earthquake and I will believe you," Prof. Dr. Naci Görür stated that they are discussing measures to be taken against earthquakes rather than fear of them, adding, "Some of my colleagues seem bothered by the fact that earthquakes are being discussed in this country."
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Prof. Dr. Naci Görür's statements regarding a potential Istanbul earthquake have drawn a reaction from Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ercan.
In a post on his X (Twitter) account, Ercan stated, "Show me one piece of evidence that an earthquake will happen in Istanbul at any moment and I will believe you!"
Naci Görür responded to this post by Ercan.
Emphasizing that they are discussing taking precautions against earthquakes rather than the earthquake itself, Görür made the following statement:
"Friends, from time to time, I read your correspondence, questions, and thoughts on X. Most of you are speaking in a positive and necessary manner. But some of my colleagues seem bothered by the fact that earthquakes are being discussed in this country. I understand their fear. Fear is a human emotion, but why would they be bothered by the discourse of 'let's make the cities in our country earthquake-resistant so our people don't die' in an environment where we lost tens of thousands of our lives just yesterday? We are not talking about the earthquake here, but about taking precautions against it. Please fill your hearts with love, pull yourselves together."
DERTLEŞME: Arkadaşlar, zaman zaman, X’te yazışmalarınızı , sorularınızı, düşüncelerinizi okuyorum. Çoğunuz olumlu yönde ve olması gereken şekilde konuşuyorsunuz. Ama kimi arkadaşlarım sanki bu ülkede depremin konuşulmasından rahatsız oluyor. Korkmalarını anlıyorum. Korku insani…
— Prof. Dr. Naci Görür (@nacigorur) March 1, 2024
WHAT HAD AHMET ERCAN SAID?
Ahmet Ercan had previously told scientists who warned that an earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater could occur in Istanbul at any moment, "Show me one piece of evidence that an earthquake will happen in Istanbul at any moment and I will believe you! As you keep saying this, politicians and contractors use your words to reap votes and money. Construction is a dead investment that does not produce added value for the country. Investment should shift to industry."