Statement from AFAD regarding the Gemlik earthquake! 'Waiting to rupture within the Marmara...'

The 5.1 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Bursa Gemlik Bay was felt in surrounding provinces, particularly in Istanbul.

Following the earthquake, which caused brief panic, Orhan Tatar, General Manager of Earthquake and Risk Reduction at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), made a statement.

Connecting to the TRT Haber live broadcast by phone, Tatar stated that the Gemlik fault is one of the many active faults surrounding the Sea of Marmara.

Pointing out that aftershocks could occur following this earthquake, Tatar said, "We must consider all of these as normal because there are faults around the Sea of Marmara, especially within the Marmara, that are waiting to rupture, that we know are active today, and that have the potential to produce earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 and above at any moment."

Tatar emphasized the importance of being prepared for earthquakes rather than asking when and at what magnitude an earthquake will occur in the Marmara Region, and noted that the state is carrying out significant work in this regard.

Stating that one should not panic when aftershocks are felt, Tatar spoke as follows:

"The Marmara Region is one of the areas in our country with the most intense active faults. There are numerous active faults surrounding the Marmara. Therefore, we need to get used to these now. Instead of panicking, we need to both take individual precautions and seriously transform our cities. Urban transformation is one of the most important issues. We must absolutely transform our risky structures very quickly. There is no joking about this matter."