NEWS CENTER - While the 5.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Şanlıurfa caused short-term panic in the region, all eyes turned to the evaluations of experts. Prof. Dr. Okan Tüysüz, Prof. Dr. Süleyman Pampal and Prof. Dr. After the earthquake, Osman Bektaş made remarkable statements on many topics, from the Bozova Fault to the impact of the February 6 earthquakes on the region. Especially 'will there be a bigger earthquake?' The answers to the question attracted attention.
5.4 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE IN ŞANLIURFA
AFAD announced that a 5.4 magnitude earthquake occurred at 10.40, centered in Şanlıurfa's Karaköprü district. Kandilli Observatory announced the epicenter of the earthquake as Pınarbaşı-Şanlıurfa. According to Kandilli, the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.8 and a depth of 5.4 kilometers.
WILL THERE BE A BIGGER EARTHQUAKE?
After the earthquake in Şanlıurfa, Prof. Dr. Okan Tüysüz made evaluations on live broadcast. Stating that the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1 and a depth of 7 kilometers, according to the data of the European Seismological Union, Tüysüz said that the earthquake could be felt strongly in the region due to its shallowness.
"IT IS NOT AN EARTHQUAKE WHICH WE EXPECTED DAMAGE"
Stating that they do not expect the 5.1 magnitude earthquake to cause any general damage, Tüysüz stated that minor damage may occur in buildings in very bad condition. Tüysüz pointed out that the earthquake may be felt more severely by citizens due to its shallowness.
"IT OCCURRED ON THE BOZOVA FAULT"
Stating that there has been intense earthquake activity in the region since the February 6 earthquakes, Tüysüz said that the earthquake in Şanlıurfa cannot be directly attributed to the February 6 earthquakes. Stating that the earthquake occurred on the Bozova Fault, which runs parallel to the body of the Atatürk Dam and is approximately 70 kilometers long, Tüysüz stated that 4 and 5 magnitude earthquakes have occurred on this fault in the past.
"Aftershocks MAY REACH UP TO 4.1"
Stating that aftershocks may occur after a 5.1 magnitude earthquake, Tüysüz said that aftershocks can reach up to a magnitude of 4.1 or even slightly exceed it. Tüysüz stated that he did not expect any significant damage from the current earthquake and that aftershocks should be monitored over time.
After the earthquake, the question that citizens wondered the most was "Will there be a bigger earthquake?" Answering the question, Tüysüz stated that a direct causality cannot be established between the current earthquake and a larger earthquake.
Tüysüz stated that, in his opinion, there is no expectation of a larger earthquake in the near term, and expressed his opinion that such an earthquake is not expected to occur in the next few decades.
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE EARTHQUAKES THAT MAY REACH MAGNITUDE 7
While Tüysüz stated that the current earthquake does not create an expectation of a major earthquake, he also drew attention to the length of the Bozova Fault. Stating that the fault, which is approximately 70 kilometers long, has the potential to produce an earthquake of magnitude 7, Tüysüz emphasized that this does not necessarily mean that a large earthquake will occur after the current earthquake.
"BEWARE OF DAMAGED STRUCTURES AND AFTERSHOCKS"
Tüysüz also gave an important warning to the citizens living in the region. He stated that if cracks or breaks are seen in columns, beams or other load-bearing elements in buildings after the earthquake, the structures should be examined by the authorities. Pointing out that aftershocks may increase the existing problems in damaged structures, Tüysüz said that these structures should not be entered without assessing the damage.
"NOT A SURPRISE EARTHQUAKE"
After the 5.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Şanlıurfa, Prof. Dr. Süleyman Pampal made evaluations in the CNN Türk live broadcast. Stating that the region where the earthquake occurred is on the Southeastern Anatolian Thrust Zone, Pampal said that earthquakes of this magnitude or even larger can be expected in the region.
Stating that Şanlıurfa is located on the Southeastern Anatolian Thrust Zone, Pampal pointed out that the region is located on the border between the Arabian Plate in the south and the Anatolian Plate in the north. Pampal stated that in addition to the approximately 400-kilometer Eastern Anatolian Fault that broke in the February 6 earthquakes, the Bitlis-Zagros or Southeastern Anatolian Thrust Zone, which extends from Hakkari to the Persian Gulf, is also important in terms of earthquake danger in the region.
"We always expect earthquakes of this type, even bigger earthquakes, here. So, it is not a surprise earthquake for us. If it happens from now on, it should not be considered a surprise either."
CAN A 5.4 EARTHQUAKE CAUSE DAMAGE?
Stating that Kandilli and AFAD data regarding the depth of the earthquake differ, Pampal said that most of the earthquakes in Türkiye have relatively shallow focal depths. Pampal stated that the 5.4 magnitude earthquake is not expected to cause major damage under normal conditions, but pointed out that the condition of the building stock may be effective. Stating that adobe and earthquake-resistant structures, especially in rural areas, are at risk, Pampal stated that buildings with minor and moderate damage may be encountered. Pampal stated that the earthquake may cause damage, especially depending on the condition of the structures in rural areas, and said:
"It is not a damaging earthquake under normal conditions. Assuming the structures are earthquake resistant."
Pampal said that the building stock in Türkiye does not meet this assumption in every region and stated that it would be useful to intensify the investigations in villages and rural areas.
GROUND DIFFERENCE MAY CHANGE THE SHAKING IN ŞANLIURFA
Answering the question of whether an earthquake of the same size can be felt differently in different regions, Pampal said that ground properties can be effective in feeling the shaking. Stating that there are limestone-dominated formations in some regions of Şanlıurfa, Pampal drew attention especially to the Bozova area.
"BOZOVA FAULT IS AN ACTIVE FAULT"
Pampal explained that in previous studies on the location of the Atatürk Dam, it was determined that the Bozova Fault was active. Stating that the dam location was changed towards the north for this reason, Pampal stated that the Bozova Fault is an active fault with the potential to produce earthquakes. Pampal emphasized that there are active faults in Şanlıurfa and its surroundings and that such earthquakes are expected to occur in the region.
"THE EFFECT OF FEBRUARY 6 EARTHQUAKES STILL CONTINUES"
After the 5.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Karaköprü district of Şanlıurfa, Prof. Dr. Osman Bektaş made evaluations in the CNN Türk live broadcast. Bektaş stated that there is no data indicating that the earthquake alone is a harbinger of a major earthquake and called on citizens not to panic.
Stating that the earthquake danger in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia increased after the 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that occurred in 2023, Bektaş said that the reason for this was the stress transfer in the region.
Bektaş stated that after two major earthquakes, the loading on the faults changed again, and especially the faults in the approximately 150-200 kilometer area surrounding the earthquake center were affected by this stress transfer.
"THIS KIND OF EARTHQUAKES ARE USUAL IN DIYARBAKIR, ŞANLIURFA AND HAKKARI AROUND"
Stating that such earthquakes occurring in Southeastern Anatolia are normal in terms of the tectonic structure of the region, Bektaş drew attention especially to the areas around Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa and Hakkari.
Bektaş said that the Arabian Plate's northward movement continues and the activity in the Bitlis-Zagros thrust belt is important in terms of seismicity in the region.
"A MAGNITUDE 5 EARTHQUAKE IS NOT A HERALD OF A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE"
Following the arrival of Kandilli Observatory data and the first information that the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.8 kilometers and its depth was 5.4 kilometers, Bektaş stated that the earthquake was medium-sized. Bektaş emphasized that they do not have any data indicating that a larger earthquake will definitely occur after an earthquake around magnitude 5.
"This is not a sign of a major earthquake. I invite the society to remain calm, there is no need to panic."
"CITIZENS DO NOT NEED TO PANIC"
