Naci Görür identifies city at risk of magnitude 7+ earthquake, points to the Aegean
Istanbul Technical University faculty member and geologist Prof. Dr. Naci Görür stated that the faults surrounding Izmir have the potential to generate earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater, and that the characteristics of these faults must be determined as soon as possible.
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Görür attended the "Earthquakes and Resilient Cities" talk organized by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality at the Ahmet Adnan Saygun Art Center.
In his speech, he stated that simultaneous efforts are being carried out to make Izmir earthquake-resilient, and he expressed his hope that the city would be ready for earthquakes once these are completed.
Görür stated that cities in Turkey have grown incorrectly, driven by a "shantytown" mentality and rent-seeking concerns, and are now being crushed under the weight of these mistakes.
Stating that it is possible to create earthquake-resilient cities with today's science and technology, Görür argued that despite the warnings they issued before the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, no one did what was necessary.
"As the people of this country, we are all guilty; we could not do what was required of us," said Görür, noting that in addition to political will, persistent public demand is essential for resilient cities.
Noting that Izmir has witnessed major earthquakes throughout history, Görür spoke as follows:
"There are faults everywhere in Izmir, not just in the sea. Each of these can produce an earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater. If these produce earthquakes, they will paralyze Izmir. This city cannot survive with only 120-130 deaths. It is impossible. All these faults are real, identified, active, and each has the capacity to produce a major earthquake. We do not know when, how, or at what magnitude.
Could there be any greater negligence than this? The faults threatening Izmir are sitting there like lambs, and we do not know their characteristics. You saw what happened with the Samos earthquake, 70-80 kilometers away. God forbid, if the Izmir fault were to activate, not a single building would remain along that gulf."
Görür added that universities are working on the analysis of faults in Izmir, that the city's topography must also be evaluated, and that decisions in zoning regulations must be made by looking at this data. He further stated that the transformation of only risky buildings is not enough, and that the entire infrastructure of cities must be transformed.