Possible earthquake in Istanbul would have devastating effect

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Feb 2023 14:59

Seismologists predict a new earthquake in Turkey's capital, which is expected to overshadow the recent 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

Civilians look for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Kahramanmaras, close to the quake’s epicenter, the day after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country’s southeast, on February 7, 2023. (AFP)

Some seismologists forecasted that there could be a potential earthquake in Istanbul that would overshadow the recent earthquakes in the country's southeast in terms of destruction and socio-economic damage, according to the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet.

The predicitions of a "devastating" earthquake stem from the city's geographic location at the confluence of the Anatolian and Eurasian tectonic plates, 1-20 kilometers south of the North Anatolian Fault area, which runs under the Sea of Marmara and poses a seismic threat.

The recent earthquake in Kahramanmaras, which became the epicenter of the recent catastrophe, is described as a "rehearsal" before the possible earthquake in Istanbul, the paper said on Friday.

The massive consequences are expected because of the densely populated city. Istanbul holds more than 1.1 million buildings and 4,500 flats, each inhabited by an average of three people. An expected 7.5 magnitude quake would cause 13,920 buildings serious damage, 39,320 buildings "severe" damage, 13,70 buildings "moderate" damage, and 300,963 "minor" damage, according to the report.

On February 6th, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and ripped through Syria, causing a humanitarian catastrophe in both countries. More than 35,000 were found dead and thousands are tens of thousands were wounded.

The UN estimates that 8.8 million people have been affected by the earthquake and its aftershocks in Syria. More than 4.2 million people have been affected by the earthquake in Aleppo, while 3 million people have been affected in Idlib, the UN noted, adding that more than 7,400 buildings have been entirely or partially destroyed.