Massive Earthquakes Strike Turkey Near Syria Border, USGS Reports Extensive Damage, Fatalities and Losses

 

    On February 6, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit the south central region of Turkey near the Turkey-Syria border, followed by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock just 11 minutes later. The largest aftershock, of magnitude 7.5, occurred 95 km to the north. According to USGS observations, all of these earthquakes are taking place within the East Anatolian fault system.

Although earthquakes of this magnitude are rare, they are expected on long plate-boundary strike-slip faults. The USGS scientist, David Wald, comments on the tragedy, saying that many buildings in the region are particularly vulnerable as they were not designed to withstand earthquakes. The mainshock and the largest aftershock were relatively shallow, with the mainshock at a depth of 18 km and the 7.5 magnitude aftershock at a depth of 10 km. Due to their shallow depth, the intensity of the shaking was severe.

    The USGS reports that the recent earthquake in south central Turkey near the border with Syria resulted in intense shaking in the area. The region is known to have older buildings made of concrete that are not designed to withstand seismic activity, causing significant damage and likely fatalities. The USGS has created a Ground Failure Estimates report showing the potential for both landslide and liquefaction hazards and a PAGER report that combines earthquake data, population density, and building vulnerability to estimate the impact on people, fatalities, and economic losses. The reports indicate that the main earthquake and the largest aftershock, M7.5, are likely to have caused widespread damage and many casualties.

As of February 6 at 10:30 pm local time, around 30 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.5 or higher have been recorded within the East Anatolian fault system, with more aftershocks expected to occur. Only three earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or greater have been recorded in this region since 1970, with the largest being a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that took place on January 24, 2020.