Orhan Tatar, General Manager of Earthquake and Risk Reduction of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), explained the latest situation regarding the earthquakes.
Some of the headlines from Tatar's speech are as follows: “There is information that the displacements in the earth's crust up to 3-4 meters are up to 7 meters and 30 centimeters in the light of the information received from the field yesterday. These are very serious numbers. With the support of TUBITAK, AFAD, and the contribution of many researchers from abroad, scientific studies are being carried out in the earthquake area.
The resulting deformation of approximately 7,5 meters corresponds to the largest deformation that we have experienced in the last 2 thousand years and that emerged as a result of an earthquake. This earthquake occurred on the Eastern Anatolian Fault Zone, one of our two most important strike-slip active fault zones. 5 separate parts on it were broken as a result of this earthquake. According to the studies carried out in the field so far, we know that the surface rupture of this earthquake starts from the north of Hatay and continues in the form of Hassa, Kırıkhan, and then continues towards Pazarcık, Gölbaşı and further northeast.
As a result of these earthquakes, the broken parts of the Eastern Anatolian Fault Zone can be specified as Amanos, Gölbaşı Pazarcık, Erkenek, Çardak, Göksun segments. There has been a very intense aftershock so far. When you look at it, we are faced with a very unusual situation.
The total number of aftershocks is 3. This is a very serious figure. Even at the moment we speak, we can easily say that the number of aftershocks exceeded 858. The number of 3 to 900 aftershocks is 3. The number of 4 to 253 aftershocks is 4. The number of 5 to 394 aftershocks is 5 as of now. This earthquake has had a direct impact on an area of approximately 6 thousand square kilometers in the region.
Aftershocks continue. There are still many undamaged, heavily damaged or moderately damaged buildings in the area. Therefore, it is very important for our citizens to stay away from these buildings. After aftershocks of 4 and 5 magnitudes, demolitions may occur, especially in buildings that have not been demolished.
Search and rescue activities continue. On the one hand, debris removal activities continue in places where these activities have ended.
Some parts of the region have heavy snowfall. There may be avalanche danger around here. We especially ask our citizens and all public officials to be more careful and vigilant in this regard. In some places, there are also areas where there is a danger of landslides or rockfalls.
Miraculous salvations are still going on. This makes us very happy. It is empowering to receive such news in the midst of this intensity. Our hope is that these miraculous deliverances continue.
We know that over 400 kilometers of surface rupture has occurred. Earthquake occurs at a depth of about 8-10 kilometers and this rupture reaches the surface. As a result of this fracture, you see that very large deformations have developed in the earth's crust.”
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