Marmara earthquake warning from Ahmet Ercan! 'This region should be closed to settlement'

Due to active fault lines in Turkey, seismic activity is ongoing. Earthquake expert Prof. Dr. Övgün Ahmet Ercan stated that the major earthquake expected in Istanbul could actually be effective across a wide region encompassing the Marmara.

According to reports in the local press, Ercan pointed specifically to the Sakarya Basin, stating, "While an Istanbul earthquake is expected, serious activity could occur in this region."

Ercan said, "This area poses a serious danger in the event of a possible earthquake. However, unfortunately, industry is developing rapidly here."

"WHERE AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST, IT WILL OCCUR AGAIN"

Prof. Dr. Ercan drew attention to the possibility of past earthquakes recurring.

He noted that while tension in this region decreased following the 1999 Gölcük Earthquake, the Marmara region as a whole still carries a high risk of a major earthquake. Ercan stated, "If an earthquake has occurred in a place in the past, it will happen again. This rule does not change."

Evaluating the ground movements in the region, Ercan said there is a possibility that the Gulf of İzmit and Lake Sapanca could merge in the future.

This situation reveals that construction and industrial planning in the region must be reorganized according to these risks.

"ACTIVITY COULD OCCUR IN MARMARA AT ANY MOMENT"

Making a statement regarding the timing of the earthquake, Ercan used the expressions, "The expected Marmara Earthquake could occur between 2045 and 2150. However, during this period, activity could occur at any moment in the earthquake-weary Marmara."

Ercan stated that in addition to Istanbul, Kocaeli and its surroundings could also be seriously affected by the earthquake.