03.08.2025 18:54
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Prof. Dr. Alperen Kayserili, along with Dr. Instructor Tolga Korkusuz and Research Assistant Emre Sakaoğlu, is researching the villages that were engulfed by the lava flowing from Mount Tendürek, which erupted in 1855.
According to historical sources, an eruption occurred in 1855 on Mount Tendürek, located between the districts of Doğubayazıt and Diyadin in Ağrı and the district of Çaldıran in Van. The lava, ash, and gases erupting from the 3,532-meter-high mountain destroyed the surrounding villages.
THEY ARE RESEARCHING THE VILLAGES SWALLOWED BY LAVA
After the eruption, a research was initiated by Prof. Dr. Alperen Kayserili, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Letters at Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Dr. Lecturer Tolga Korkusuz, and Research Assistant Emre Sakaoğlu to determine how many settlements were buried under the lava in the region. Academics conducting examinations with a drone camera found traces of settlements in some areas.
"THE BUILDING MATERIAL OF THE HOUSES IS VOLCANIC ROCKS"
Dr. Lecturer Tolga Korkusuz, who stated that the settlements were buried under lava due to the eruption on Mount Tendürek, said, "We are at the farthest points reached by volcanic lava on Mount Tendürek. According to records, a nearby village is buried under lava due to the erupting volcanoes. We refer to the slow flow of lava as 'Oh, lava flows.' Here, we see that the volcanic rocks are the homes of people. We see that the building material of their houses is volcanic rocks. While volcanism provides us with a habitat, it can also be dangerous for us. We can see the consequences of that danger here," he said.
"A REGION WITH UNIQUE EXAMPLES"
Korkusuz pointed out that the region is important in terms of geomorphological tourism, stating, "We are in an area with unique examples in Turkey. Because we can see volcanic flow everywhere. We can see it in Erciyes, we can see it in Mount Ağrı. However, we cannot see such a result where a settlement is buried under lava anywhere else," he said.
AMONG THE PLACES WITH THE MOST SETTLEMENTS
Prof. Dr. Alperen Kayserili, who emphasized the fertility of volcanic lands throughout history and that the lands in the region are in the same condition, said: "We are at an altitude of 2,114 meters on Mount Tendürek. There is indeed a beautiful spread with the lava flows, and the rocks show various structures that solidify around them after containing gas depending on the cooling conditions of the lava. Lava ashes also show themselves here, and there are fertile lands and established villages right at its foot. We have known that volcanic areas have been among the places with the most settlements since historical times. Today, we are faced with the reality that this feature continues."