Experts says earthquake in KUSADASI related to “living” faults and triggered by Izmir earthquake
Prof. Dr. Hasan Sözbilir, director of Dokuz September University Earthquake Research and Application Center (DAUM) stated that the tension in the region continued with aftershock earthquake activity after the 6.6 magnitude earthquake on October 30, 2020.
The Professor noted that the magnitude 5 earthquake, the epicenter of which was the Gulf of Kuşadası, occurred when the underwater fault between the Gümüldur and Efes faults decayed, and the broken fault fragment could be considered as extensions of these two faults in the sea.
Stating that there were many underwater faults between Samos Island and Gumuldur, the Professor said, “These faults are connected to the Gumuldur fault and the Ephesus fault. Although both faults were evaluated in the living fault class, they had not produced destructive earthquakes for a long time. These faults have the potential to produce earthquakes ranging from 5.7 to 6.8 magnitude.”
He also said that the tension continued with up to 10 thousand aftershock activity after the magnitude 6.6 earthquake in the region with epicenter in Seferihisar on 30 October 2020 adding “this earthquake was also one of the earthquakes triggered by the earthquake on October 30, 2020”.
“The occurrence of a large number of small-scale earthquakes off the Gulf of Kuşadası in the morning is also due to the fact that the faults trigger each other” Prof. Dr. Sözbilir said adding that all earthquakes brought to mind the precautions that should be taken before the disaster.
