"Earthquake warning for 6 provinces."

Professor Dr. Hasan Sözbilir, a faculty member of the Department of Geological Engineering at İzmir Dokuz Eylul University (DEU), evaluated the 5 magnitude earthquake that occurred on November 8 in Elazığ.

Stating that the energy transfer at the ends of the broken fault has caused new earthquakes to be triggered, Prof. Dr. Sözbilir said, "The 6.8 magnitude Elazığ earthquake on January 24, 2020, which occurred due to the rupture of the Pütürge segment of the East Anatolian Fault, triggered the Maraş earthquakes on February 6, 2023, three years later. In the first earthquake, the segments of Erkenek, Pazarcık, Narlı, and Amanos, located just southwest of the Pütürge fault, produced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, breaking all the way to Hatay Airport. This earthquake triggered the 6.4 magnitude Antakya-Defne earthquake south of Hatay Airport on February 20, 2023. On October 16, 2024, a 5.9 magnitude Malatya-Kale earthquake occurred between the northern end of the surface rupture of the February 6 earthquake and the southern end of the surface rupture of January 24, 2020. About a month later, a new earthquake occurred this time in the Palu segment at the northeastern end of the Pütürge segment. In other words, the 5 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Elazığ on November 8 can be considered as an earthquake triggered by the Elazığ earthquake that occurred in 2020 on the Pütürge segment," he stated.

"THERE IS BENEFIT IN MONITORING THE ADIYAMAN FAULT"

Prof. Dr. Sözbilir stated that the Pütürge segment of the East Anatolian Fault broke during the Elazığ earthquake in 2020, saying, "On November 8, due to the energy transfer from 2020, a part of the Palu segment at the northern end of the Pütürge segment was broken. We know that that region experienced destructive earthquakes of up to 7 in 995, 1789, and 1874. However, the Palu segment has produced numerous earthquakes of around 5 at certain intervals over the last 100 years. The Palu segment has not produced a large destructive earthquake for over 200 years. There are also measurements indicating that the Palu segment has been behaving in an aseismic manner. In other words, it is one of the faults expected to produce a large earthquake, classified as a seismic gap. In addition, there is the Adıyaman fault, which starts from the Palu district and progresses southwest towards Adıyaman province. We have been working on this fault for 2 years in collaboration with Fırat University. In this project, which we are conducting under the YÖK-Research Support Program, we have determined that the Adıyaman fault is also an active fault. This fault has the potential to produce earthquakes of up to 7. Therefore, I believe it is beneficial to continuously monitor the Adıyaman fault in terms of seismology and geodesy," he expressed.

"STRESS ACCUMULATION CONTINUES ON FAULT SEGMENTS"

Pointing out that the Malatya fault and the Savrun and Saimbeyli faults at the ends of the Çardak and Doğanşehir faults, which broke 9 hours after the 7.8 magnitude Kahramanmaraş earthquake on February 6, 2023, continue to accumulate stress, Prof. Dr. Sözbilir said, "Similarly, stress accumulation continues on the fault segments belonging to the Ölüdeniz fault, such as the Sakçagöz, Yesemek, and Hacıpaşa faults, located south of the Narlı fault, which was partially broken in the February 6, 2023 earthquake."

Prof. Dr. Sözbilir stated, "Due to the presence of seismic sources that have not yet broken, urgent measures need to be taken for earthquake preparedness, especially in the provinces of Bingöl, Adıyaman, Malatya, Gaziantep, Hatay, and Adana, and raising public awareness is also critically important," he said.