After the strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale that shook the Turkish city of Sundargah (Balikesir District) on the evening of October 27, experts are warning of the risk of new destructive tremors.
According to Prof. Dr. Osman Bektas, a geology specialist, the region has entered an active seismic phase that can cause earthquakes with a magnitude of between 6 and 7 on the Richter scale.
The scientist explained that last night’s quake is part of a “micro-earthquake chain” that began in August of this year, and that the ground stresses in the region of Uşak, Kütahya, Manisa and Balıkesir are increasing.
“The area between Uşak and Kütahya is behaving like a tumor that is growing slowly but steadily. The entire Uşak fault block is loaded with stress,” warned Bektas.
According to him, the series of weaker earthquakes with magnitudes between 4 and 4.9 on the Richter scale, which have been observed in Western Anatolia in recent months, indicates that the active faults are close to the rupture point. “This means that the region needs to be extremely careful – each of these microseismic groups can cause a new destructive tremor,” he said.
The professor reminded that a similar situation was observed before the earthquake of August 10 with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale, which was also part of the same seismic chain. “The Naşta-Simav fault, which has been growing since March, has the potential to produce a tremor of up to 7 on the Richter scale,” he added.
According to Bektaş, the fact that the latest earthquake did not cause severe damage is due to the relatively low amplitude of the seismic wave.
At the same time, he stressed that the presence of warm water and gases at depth slows down the release of stored energy, which means that aftershocks could continue for weeks.
The Ankara Presidency’s Directorate of Emergency Situations and Natural Disaster Prevention (AFAD) confirmed that dozens of aftershocks are continuing after the main quake in Sunderg.
According to initial reports, there were no casualties, but there was damage to buildings in some districts of Balıkesir and Manisa, where six people were slightly injured.
Experts advise the local population to be prepared for new tremors and to follow all instructions from rescue services.
Illustrative Photo by Furkan Tumer: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-ruined-cobblestone-building-with-arched-door-6979381/
We acknowledge The European Times for the information.
