Istanbul and its surroundings were shaken by successive earthquakes off the coast of Silivri today. First, according to AFAD data, a 6,99 magnitude tremor was recorded at a depth of 3,9 kilometers off the coast of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara. Shortly after this first earthquake, a more powerful 6,2 magnitude earthquake occurred in the same region. This second tremor, which lasted about 10 seconds, caused great panic throughout Istanbul and was also felt in surrounding provinces.
Geologist Prof. Dr. Okan Tüysüz stated that the earthquakes occurred on the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) expected in Istanbul. Tüysüz stated that the fault in this region has a “locked” structure and has a feature that does not produce earthquakes but constantly accumulates stress. For this reason, he said that earthquakes of this magnitude can occur from time to time and these tremors can be interpreted as the discharge of accumulated stress through small fractures.
Prof. Dr. Tüysüz emphasized that the earthquakes experienced should be evaluated as independent tremors in the current situation and that seismic activities in the region should be closely monitored to understand whether there is a foreshock. While these consecutive tremors experienced in a region with a high earthquake risk such as Istanbul cause anxiety among citizens, the statements of experts and the information provided by AFAD gain importance.
