Turkey has been hit by 23 earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 or higher since the 1500s. The country is located in an earthquake belt that includes the North, East, and West Anatolian fault lines. Since January of this year, Turkey has experienced 9,355 tremors, with 40 earthquakes measuring 4 or higher on the Richter scale. It is estimated that there will be approximately 35,000 earthquakes by the end of the year.
The region affected by the disaster of the century is still experiencing seismic activity, with 4,771 earthquakes recorded in the area this year. In the last three months, Malatya experienced the highest number of earthquakes, with 1,757 tremors, followed by Kahramanmaraş with 1,477 earthquakes. The total number of earthquakes in the region over three months is 4,771.
Looking at the earthquake statistics in different provinces, Malatya and Kahramanmaraş top the list with the highest number of earthquakes, followed by Adıyaman, Adana, Elazığ, Hatay, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, and Şanlıurfa. In Muğla, which is outside the earthquake zone, there were 673 earthquakes recorded, making it the most seismically active province outside the earthquake zone.
Çanakkale, located in a first-degree earthquake zone, experienced 392 earthquakes in the last three months. Bursa, another city located in an earthquake belt, had 130 earthquakes since the beginning of the year. İzmir, with 570 earthquakes in three months, is considered one of the most earthquake-prone cities in Turkey. Istanbul, with 10 earthquakes in the last three months, has experts warning that a major earthquake could occur at any moment.
Even in Konya, the city with the lowest earthquake risk, there have been frequent tremors in recent times. The city experienced 113 earthquakes in the first three months of the year, highlighting the unpredictability of seismic activity across the country. As Turkey continues to be hit by earthquakes, residents and authorities remain vigilant and prepared for any seismic events that may occur in the future.
