Chaos and fear in Istanbul: what experts say about the upcoming earthquake

There is concern in Turkey about the possibility of a strong earthquake in Istanbul, which could lead to the death of tens of thousands of people in the country.

Experts believe that such a possibility should be taken into account, so the authorities of the most populous Turkish city are forced to prepare for the possibility of another natural disaster of unimaginable proportions. One of the leading experts in Turkey, Professor of Istanbul Technical University Celal Sengor says:

“The outlook for Istanbul is bleak. If there is no major earthquake in Istanbul in the next twenty years, we will all be very surprised. It’s just a possibility, but the possibility is very high.”

Turkey is one of the most seismic regions in the world, having two faults – in Northern Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia. This fact raises concerns about Istanbul’s earthquake preparedness. According to competent experts, today another earthquake in the North Anatolia fault can reach a magnitude of 7.2 to 7.8 with devastating consequences for Turkey. However, unfortunately, it is impossible to predict the time of such an earthquake. Senghor notes:

“We can predict that an earthquake of this magnitude is about to happen, but it’s impossible to predict the exact time.”

A study by the Kandilli Observatory and the Earthquake Research Institute suggests that the death toll would exceed 14,000 if a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hits Istanbul overnight. Some experts are convinced that the losses will be much higher. Senghor says:

“According to my estimates, about 100,000 dead. It will be a disaster. You cannot just think about the immediate impact, you must also think about the consequences of an earthquake. There will be robberies, fires, epidemics. It will be terrible.”

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality admits that a magnitude 7.5 earthquake along the North Anatolia Fault could destroy about 90,000 buildings in the city, with another 260,000 buildings potentially suffering significant damage. The gloomy forecast is quite real, according to city authorities, such a rampant disaster could leave about 4.5 million people homeless, that is, more than a quarter of Istanbul’s population.

Following last month’s earthquake that killed more than 48,000 people in Turkey, Istanbul is now scrambling to bolster its defenses against a natural disaster that experts say could hit at any moment. writes CNN Greece.

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