Worrying warning from expert regarding a possible Marmara earthquake! 'Those with a coastline on the Marmara...'

Participating in the "Disaster-Resilient Tekirdağ Workshop" held in Tekirdağ, Prof. Dr. Haluk Eyidoğan stated that referring to the expected tremor in the Sea of Marmara as the "Istanbul earthquake" in the public sphere fosters a false perception. According to Eyidoğan, a major earthquake that is likely to occur has the potential to seriously affect not only Istanbul but 7 to 10 provinces surrounding the Marmara region.

Pointing out that the epicenter of the expected earthquake will be the Sea of Marmara, Eyidoğan said, "They call it the 'Istanbul earthquake,' but the earthquake will not be inside Istanbul; it will be inside the Sea of Marmara. If an earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater occurs in the Sea of Marmara, 7 to 10 provinces with a coastline on the Marmara, primarily Istanbul, will be affected. Therefore, this is not an Istanbul earthquake, but a Marmara earthquake."

The expert also emphasized that an earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater in the Marmara would not only affect the region where it occurs but could also cause social and economic adversity for all of Turkey.

Noting that the earthquake risk is not limited only to provinces where fault lines pass, Prof. Dr. Eyidoğan stated, "There are provinces where a fault line passes through, yet they do not collapse, and there are provinces far from the fault that do collapse. We saw this clearly in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes. In other words, one should not attribute the event solely to the fault. If we had attributed the event solely to the fault, Avcılar would not have collapsed in the Gölcük-centered earthquake on August 17, 1999. Therefore, major earthquakes are regional earthquakes, and if there is a flaw in the structures, the ground, or the buildings, it finds it and destroys it. So, such a reality exists. Destruction cannot be explained by the fault alone. Flaws in the structure and the ground will inevitably emerge during major earthquakes."

Eyidoğan stated that conducting proper soil surveys, selecting appropriate locations, and increasing control mechanisms are of vital importance to reduce the loss of life and property in cities. Drawing attention to incorrect zoning practices and the dangers posed by construction in areas at risk of landslides and liquefaction, Eyidoğan pointed out that construction should not be permitted in such areas.

Furthermore, expressing that errors made during the construction process lead to a decrease in earthquake resistance, Eyidoğan said, "Settling in unsuitable places for buildings is the first mistake. The second mistake is opening such places for zoning. Therefore, such places should be restricted from construction. Even if there is no soil problem, there are mistakes made during the construction process. In other words, we have serious deficiencies in the process of producing earthquake-resistant structures. Therefore, when these come together, there is no hope of escaping the earthquake."

News Source: 12punto