11.02.2025 20:00
Orhan Tatar, the General Director of AFAD Earthquake and Risk Reduction, stated in his remarks regarding the seismic activity in the Aegean Sea that the time for a potential tsunami to reach our shores is less than one hour and that it would not have a destructive impact on the coasts.
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AFAD Earthquake and Risk Reduction General Director Orhan Tatar, in a statement regarding the recent increase in earthquakes and tsunami risk in the Aegean Sea, said, "In the event of a possible tsunami, the earliest it would reach our shores is one hour or even less. We can clearly state that it will not reach our shores and will not have any destructive effect on them."
AFAD Earthquake and Risk Reduction General Director Orhan Tatar, along with Governor İdris Akbıyık, conducted inspections in the Bodrum district following the "Possible Risk Assessment Regional Coordination Meeting" held at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) Hall regarding the seismic activity in the Aegean Sea.
After their examination and assessment at Turgutreis beach, Tatar reminded that there has been significant seismic activity in the region for the past 10-15 days.
"IT WILL NOT HAVE A DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT ON OUR SHORES"
Stating that the seismic activity has reached approximately 2,000 as of today, Tatar said, "Among these, there are 5 earthquakes of magnitude 5 and above. Some of these earthquakes were felt in various coastal regions. Questions are being discussed such as 'Will there be a volcanic eruption after these earthquakes? Or what would be the tsunami effect that could occur as a result of these?' In the event of a possible tsunami, the earliest it would reach our shores is one hour or even less. We can clearly state that it will not reach our shores and will not have any destructive effect on them," he said.
WARNING NOT TO PANIC
Tatar emphasized that they are trying to inform all citizens as AFAD and that there is no need for citizens to panic about this issue.
Expressing that all state organs are making the necessary preparations and efforts regarding this matter, Tatar continued, "On one hand, it is extremely important for our citizens to be correctly informed and to access healthy information and data. Our request from them is not to pay attention to news containing disinformation that may arise, especially on social media. It is of great importance to consider the statements made through official channels. We are inspecting the preparations on-site. We will hold the coordination meeting we conducted today in Muğla tomorrow in Aydın and the day after in İzmir."
"WE ARE READY FOR EVERY SCENARIO"
Tatar pointed out that a large team is working in the background regarding the issue and emphasized that they are prepared for every possible scenario.
"WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST MAY RECUR"
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevdet Yalçıner, former President of the UNESCO North East Atlantic and Mediterranean Tsunami Warning System, stated that there have been two tsunami events in recent years, the first in 1956 and the other in 2017 at the Sığacık coast.
Stating that what they have seen in the past may recur in the future, Yalçıner said, "What we understand from this is that there will be no loss of life, but we need to be a bit more aware. A tsunami can occur in the area where these earthquakes happen. However, when this tsunami travels from there to the Turkish coasts, its power will decrease, and it will not have a destructive effect. The time frame is about one hour. Therefore, for those of us living on the coasts, when a warning comes, we need to leave our current location and move away from the coast.
If citizens are at sea, they need to go to a depth of 50 meters, and if they are on land, they need to move further away from the coast. Concrete structures are buildings that are not affected by tsunami waters. They enter the ground floors, and due to the movement of water, chairs and belongings may shift. We should not be afraid; there is something we need to know. A warning will come, and since it is not sudden, if we are informed, it is possible to minimize damage by moving away from the coast," he expressed.
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