Istanbul in danger: experts warn of catastrophic earthquake!

Istanbul in danger: experts warn of catastrophic earthquake!

The devastating earthquakes that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, 2023 continue to have a profound impact on the country. Two years later, 400,000 people are still living in containers krone.at reported. These people suffer from regular water and power outages as well as inadequate hygiene conditions. While the government claims that 182,000 workers are working on reconstruction projects and 200,000 apartments have been handed over, experts criticize that only 31 percent of the promised apartments have actually been provided. The Chamber of Civil Engineers has expressed concerns that the rapid construction method could lead to construction defects, which are even blamed for the high number of victims.

Earthquake risk in Istanbul

Experts warn of an impending earthquake in Istanbul, where 100,000 buildings are at serious risk of collapse. Earthquake researcher Naci Görür predicts that a future earthquake could cause hundreds of thousands of victims, “in purely mathematical terms even in the millions.” The World reports that the probability of an earthquake with a magnitude above 7 is 60 percent by 2030. This is particularly alarming because the local and central government and the population are not sufficiently aware of the danger. The epicenter of the expected quake could be just 15 kilometers from the city in the Sea of ​​Marmara.

In addition, it is emphasized that many buildings in the metropolis, where around 16 million people live, have not been made earthquake-proof. Geology professor Sükrü Ersoy pointed out that the high population density further increases the risk and impact of a possible earthquake. Turkish authorities have said that a total of 1.5 million apartments and commercial units are considered at risk, further highlighting the precarious situation in Istanbul.