Does the Çanakkale earthquake trigger the expected Istanbul earthquake? Experts weigh in

The earthquake that occurred in Yenice, Çanakkale, was felt in many provinces. The magnitude of the earthquake, which caused panic, was announced as 4.9.

While Minister Yerlikaya stated that there were no negative reports as of now, the question of whether the earthquake would trigger the expected Istanbul earthquake was a matter of curiosity. Successive statements came from experts regarding the earthquake.

"THIS INTERVAL IS PREGNANT WITH AN EARTHQUAKE BETWEEN 6.8 AND 7.4"

Professor Övgün Ahmet Ercan, who made statements on his social media account regarding the 4.9 magnitude earthquake in Çanakkale, said:

"The southernmost branch of the North Anatolian Fault, which extends to Yenice via Bursa, M. Kemalpaşa, Ulubat, Manyas, and Gönen, merges with the Edremit fault west of Akçay and extends to Bababurnu. The 1964 Manyas, 1964 Gönen, and 1953 M7.2 earthquakes occurred on this fault.

There is a seismic gap between Yenice, Kalkım, and Altınoluk. Today's 4.9 magnitude earthquake in Yenice-Karasu at a 14 km focus is an indication of the stress accumulated here. This interval is pregnant with an earthquake between M6.8 and M7.4."

"WE WILL EXAMINE THIS EARTHQUAKE"

Participating in a live broadcast on A Haber, Prof. Dr. Süha Özden said, "We will examine this earthquake. This is actually a place that has recently broken. I think it is an important earthquake. It does not resemble previous earthquakes that occurred in Çanakkale."

DOES IT TRIGGER THE EXPECTED ISTANBUL EARTHQUAKE?

Stating that a major earthquake occurred in the region in 1953, Earthquake Expert Prof. Şükrü Ersoy said the following:

"I felt it vaguely as well. I was told it was Çanakkale Yenice. Of course, this is not the major earthquake we expect within the Sea of Marmara. I estimate it is an earthquake related to the southern branches. This is not an earthquake related to the northern branch of the North Anatolian fault that passes through the Sea of Marmara, which we are expecting. There is the 1953 Yenice-Gönen earthquake, which was 7.2. It caused great destruction; this is in a location close to that."

"I DO NOT THINK THERE WILL BE A DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKE IN THE REGION"

Geologist Prof. Dr. Okan Tüysüz stated the following:

"It has been happening in the region for a long time. It would not be wrong to call this an earthquake swarm. Earthquake swarms do not produce destructive earthquakes; they do not create small earthquakes. We know that there is no fault in this region that would create a destructive earthquake.

I do not think there will be a larger, destructive earthquake in the region. It is possible to experience aftershocks, and if it is in the form of an earthquake swarm, it is likely that earthquakes exceeding 5 in magnitude will occur. Like all of Turkey, Çanakkale is a city that is not prepared for earthquakes.

However, I do not expect an earthquake that could occur at a magnitude of 5 to cause damage. Since it was a shallow earthquake, it was felt as far as Edirne, let alone Istanbul, and in Izmir to the south. It was felt within a 200 km circle. Let us also underline that this earthquake does not pose any danger for Istanbul."

"THERE WILL BE NO MAJOR EARTHQUAKE AGAIN ON A BROKEN FAULT"

Prof. Dr. Cenk Yaltırak made a statement regarding the 4.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the Yenice district of Çanakkale at 21:38.

Yaltırak said, "The Mw 4.8 earthquake is an isolated earthquake that occurred in the section that broke in 1953."

Making a statement on his social media account, Yaltırak used the following expressions:

"The Mw 4.8 earthquake, which occurred north of the Gönen Dam on the Yenice-Gönen segment on the Middle Branch of the North Anatolian Fault, is an isolated earthquake that occurred in the section that broke in 1953."

Responding to a user's question, "Does it trigger another place in the region, professor?", Yaltırak said, "There will be no major earthquake again on a broken fault."

News Source: 12punto