Important warning from Geological Engineer Aykan after Bursa earthquakes: Higher than Istanbul

Aysun Aykan also pointed out that no active faults pass through the city center of Istanbul, yet active faults pass through almost every district of Bursa, stating that Bursa's earthquake risk is much higher than that of Istanbul. 

Geological Engineer Aykan said, "On July 1, a 3.9-magnitude earthquake occurred on the southern branch of the North Anatolian Fault, north of the Gemlik fault, followed by a 4.2 and today a 4.4-magnitude earthquake. Under normal conditions, these types of earthquakes are small and do not cause loss of life or property. 

The Gemlik fault segment is 30 km long. A major earthquake occurred on the Gemlik fault in 1419; 600 years have passed since that 7-magnitude earthquake. It has been a long time. When we evaluate these earthquakes, the fact that they are increasing in magnitude suggests that an earthquake larger than 4.4 could occur. However, we cannot say for certain that it will happen. We need to be careful. We need to be cautious. A 5.1-magnitude earthquake occurred in the Gemlik Gulf in December 2023. We can say that earthquake activity in this region is intense," she said.

Drawing attention to the Iznik-Mekece fault, which extends westward from the edge of the Gemlik fault, Aysun Aykan said, "This fault is approximately 45 kilometers long and produced a major earthquake 960 years ago. For this reason, it must be monitored very closely. Along with the Gemlik fault, the risk of this fault producing a major earthquake is very high. Considering the 960-year earthquake recurrence interval, we must be very careful because the period is approaching. It has the potential to produce an earthquake above 7."

"BURSA'S EARTHQUAKE RISK IS HIGHER THAN ISTANBUL'S"

Adding that active faults pass through almost all districts of Bursa, Geological Engineer Aysun Aykan said, "We need to carry out the necessary work without delay to make Bursa an earthquake-resistant city. When we look at the MTA's active fault map, we see that there are no active faults passing through the city center of Istanbul. The faults mostly pass through the Sea of Marmara. However, there are active faults passing through every district of Bursa. Therefore, the necessary measures must be taken as soon as possible to make Bursa an earthquake-resistant city. Urban transformation efforts must be accelerated," she said.

News Source: İHA