Turkey finds no peace from earthquakes, renowned professor warns of the worst: Get ready for the big strike

Residents of Balikesir, Turkey, are once again facing earthquakes. The area is shaking every day. Yesterday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 struck, affecting Istanbul, Bursa, Manisa, and Izmir.

Balikesir’s governor, Ismail Ustaoglu, announced that no adverse incidents were reported following the quake. As aftershocks continue in the region, another earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 was recorded at 12:02 a.m., and another with a magnitude of 4.1 at 4:54 a.m.

Associate Professor Dr. Bulent Ozmen, a disaster management expert at Gazi University, said that the more than 15,000 tremors that occurred in the Sındırgı region of Balikesir over the past three months constitute a “seismic storm.”

Recalling that “twin earthquakes,” each with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale, occurred in Sındırgı on August 10 and October 27, Özmen stated that an increase in seismic intensity was detected in the region due to tectonic movements and magma intrusions. Noting that a hybrid seismic process was taking place, Özmen said: “More than 15,000 earthquakes occurred in the region in just three months. When we look at Turkey’s total seismic activity, an average of 25,000 earthquakes are recorded every year. In the Sındırgı region, nearly 60% of this annual average occurred in just three months.” Özmen further stated that the Simav Fault Zone, where the Sındırgı earthquakes occurred, has the potential to trigger a magnitude 7 earthquake and that aftershocks are expected to continue.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Okan Tüysüz also stated that magma movement or unknown fissures might be playing a role in Sındırgı, warning: “The earthquakes will continue for some time, and residents must learn to live with this seismic activity.” Tüysüz noted that seismic storms are common in Western Anatolia and the Aegean Sea, adding: “Seismic storms are observed in areas where the Earth’s crust is thin, where numerous intersecting faults exist, where heat flow is high, and where there is movement of hot water, gas, and magma. Seismic storms can last for days, weeks, months, and, in rare cases, years.”

Tüysüz pointed out that Western Anatolia and the Aegean region have been expanding at a rate of 3–4 centimeters per year for millions of years, which can cause earthquakes.

“KORÇA BOOM”