11.11.2025 14:38
In an evaluation of the earthquakes that occurred in the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir, Japanese earthquake expert Yoshinori Moriwaki stated, "The earthquakes in Sındırgı are not caused by fault lines; they are due to magma movements, and I do not expect a major earthquake." He also added, "There has not been a significant earthquake in the Bandırma area for 450 years. There has been a long accumulation of energy. Therefore, attention should be paid to that region."
Japanese earthquake expert Yoshinori Moriwaki, commenting on the 6.1 magnitude earthquakes that occurred in the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir on August 10 and October 27, stated that the aftershocks are caused by Santorini-type magma movements. Moriwaki emphasized that more than 15,000 aftershocks have been experienced in the region, saying, "I do not expect a major earthquake in Sındırgı."
"THE EARTHQUAKES IN SINDIRGI ARE NOT CAUSED BY FAULT LINES, BUT BY MAGMA"
In response to the question of whether a major earthquake is expected in Sındırgı, Moriwaki said, "I do not expect a very large earthquake in Sındırgı. It could be at most 5 in magnitude. There have been earthquakes above 4 in the last couple of days, but they are gradually decreasing. For now, I do not expect a major earthquake in Sındırgı. The earthquakes in Sındırgı are caused by the movement of magma, just like on the island of Santorini in Greece. Therefore, small earthquakes occur frequently, but there is no significant danger. The earthquakes in Sındırgı are not due to fault line breaks, but rather the movement of magma beneath the Earth's crust," he said.
"IT DOES NOT AFFECT ISTANBUL, ONLY FELT DUE TO PROXIMITY"
Speaking about the 6.1 earthquake on October 27 being felt in Istanbul, Moriwaki stated, "It has no effect because it is far from Istanbul. However, since the earthquake was at a shallow depth, around 7-10 kilometers, it was felt over a wide area."
"ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO BANDIRMA"
Moriwaki also warned about other regions around Balıkesir, saying, "There has not been a major earthquake in the Bandırma area for 450 years. There has been energy accumulation for a long time. Therefore, attention should be paid to that area."
"THERE ARE 4 CRITICAL POINTS IN TURKEY"
Addressing the 4 critical points in Turkey, Yoshinori Moriwaki said, "The first one I can mention is Cyprus. Generally, the earthquakes in Turkey occur like dominoes. In 1939, there was Erzincan, in 1941 Tokat, then Samsun, and then the Gölcük earthquake in 1999. In the Eastern Anatolia Fault Line, there were Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş, and Hatay, but sometimes it goes back. Bingöl Karlıova, Muş, and Bitlis are the second important point. Thirdly, I can mention the Aegean region, but I do not expect a very large earthquake in the Aegean. The fault line in the Aegean is thin and short. For a major earthquake to occur, the fault line needs to be long. Lastly, I can mention the Marmara Region. The fault line in Marmara extends from Tekirdağ to Yalova. After the 1999 earthquake, a 70-kilometer section is still accumulating energy," he stated.
"I DO NOT AGREE WITH ŞENER ÜŞÜMEZSOY'S VIEWS"
Regarding the statement of earthquake scientist Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy that "I do not expect an earthquake in Istanbul, I sleep without fear," Moriwaki said, "In my opinion, this is not a logical comment. I find the views of Prof. Dr. Naci Görür and Prof. Dr. Şükrü Ersoy to be more realistic."