What does the 5.5 magnitude earthquake in Şanlıurfa mean? Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy announced

Zeynep Dilara Akyürek / Milliyet.com.tr – Today, at 10.40, the 5.5 magnitude earthquake felt in Şanlıurfa was felt in the provincial and district centers. The people of the region, who were more affected by the tremors after the February 6 Earthquakes, are wondering what this earthquake means. So, will a 5.5 magnitude earthquake lead to a bigger earthquake? The potential and structure of the fault that produces earthquakes in Şanlıurfa. Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy told Milliyet.com.tr.

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'IT IS A FAULT IN PIECES, NOT IN ONE PIECE'

Şanlıurfa has been under the influence of many major earthquakes before, and the city has faced loss of life and property as a result of earthquakes throughout history. However, these earthquakes were not earthquakes centered in Şanlıurfa, just like the February 6 Earthquakes. Many earthquakes that affected the city occurred beyond its borders and went down in history with their magnitude. The earthquake that occurred today took place in Şanlıurfa. So, could it be related to the faults that caused the big earthquakes in the past? Where exactly did this earthquake happen? Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy answered these questions as follows:

"When we analyze the 5.8 earthquake in Şanlıurfa, we see that this fault is a lateral slip fault. In other words, it is a fault that has developed in its forces under the influence of the same Eastern Anatolian fault. The Eastern Anatolian fault ruptured along Pazarcık, Gölbaşı and Erkenek on February 6. However, there is a branch that is oblique to it. The Adıyaman fault, which is oblique to the Eastern Anatolian fault, is not a very distinct fault. It continues in parts, occasionally in one piece. It is moving eastward towards the Arabian plate. Although its main stress is in the Eastern Anatolia, the fault called Adıyaman Fault is in this system and a 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred. To the south of it is the Lice Fault. This fault is a lateral slip fault like the East Anatolian Fault. The thrust faults that developed went from Sincik to the Lice and East Anatolian faults, and then the fault line along the Pazarcık, Gölbaşı and Erkelek line of the younger East Anatolian fault broke on February 6. There is a branch that is oblique to it, that is, a side-slip fault system moving towards the northeast from Adıyaman in the east of Gaziantep. "It is the fault line that broke in February. It is the Eastern Anatolian Fault. There is also stress in the branches that are oblique to it."

Map: Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy

'STRESS IS RELEASED FROM HERE AND IT HAPPENS BY TRIGGERING THE ARABIAN PLATE'

The most tremors since the February 6 Earthquakes were recorded in Malatya, and Malatya was frequently on the agenda with earthquakes of nearly 5 and greater than 5 after major earthquakes. Prof. Dr. Üşümezsoy had previously drawn attention to Malatya and said, "When the February 6 earthquakes occurred, the Eastern Anatolian Fault operated normally. Although there was a line passing through Pötürge and extending to Erkenek and from there to Gölbaşı and Pazarcık, it could not reach Pötürge at all. But on the other hand, the fault broke between Pazarcık and Erkenek. This actually put stress on Pötürge from both ends of the rupture. One was the 2020 Sivrice earthquake from the east and the other was "It was the February 6 Earthquakes in 2023, and earthquakes continued to occur in that stressed area," he explained. So what does this earthquake mean? Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy concluded his words by explaining this.

"The point where this earthquake occurred is a fault line mapped in the studies carried out by TPAO. However, it is not a clear-cut, monolithic fault like the Eastern Anatolian Fault. There are linearly marked parts in many places. This means that the main stress is released in this region in the Eastern Anatolian Fault. Its stress release results in triggering the faults on the Arabian plate. Here the Arabian Plate goes east. It is a structure similar to the earthquakes extending from the north of Adana to Malatya. Here is the Arabian plate. It's coming towards you."