Important warning from geological engineer Onalan: Fault lines that have not produced earthquakes for 2,000 years have reached their limit

Koray Çetin Onalan, head of the TMMOB Chamber of Geological Engineers İzmir Branch, issued an important warning, stating that fault lines in Turkey that have not produced earthquakes for 2,000 years have reached their time limit. Onalan stated that the number of active fault lines across Turkey has risen to 500, noting that fault lines are becoming active and earthquakes are beginning in places where it was previously said that "no earthquakes would occur."

Emphasizing that the 1999 Gulf earthquake was a significant turning point in terms of earth sciences and active fault research, Onalan pointed out that Turkey is one of the most important places in the world in terms of intra-continental active fault lines. Following the February 6 earthquake, in which thousands of people lost their lives, he stated that there are nearly 500 fault lines across Turkey with the potential to produce earthquakes.

Onalan emphasized that geological conditions must be taken into account in the planning of residential areas, stating that Turkey's young geography has not completed its formation and that earthquakes will continue. He also stated that local administrators must show a serious will to create earthquake-resistant cities.

Issuing warnings regarding earthquakes, Onalan said, "On October 30, 2020, we experienced a lapse in reason. A fault line 70 kilometers away struck, taking the lives of 117 of our citizens in Bayraklı. This was a warning to us; an earthquake did not occur in İzmir. The fault lines that will produce earthquakes in İzmir have not yet broken, but they are waiting to break. As a Chamber, we submitted a fault law to the parliament. We must absolutely establish the infrastructure for this and conduct studies regarding cities built on active fault lines," he said.

Onalan emphasized that Turkey is a country under earthquake risk and that the measures to be taken regarding earthquakes must be handled with seriousness, stating that safe areas against disasters must be identified and that local administrators must act in a way that creates earthquake-resistant cities.

News Source: 12punto