The Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who belongs to the opposition Republican People's Party, emphasized that "the issue of earthquakes in Istanbul is a vital matter," recalling the earthquake that struck the central, southwestern, and eastern parts of the country last year, which resulted in the deaths of over 50,000 people. İmamoğlu, who is preparing to run for mayor of Istanbul for a second time in the municipal elections scheduled for late March next year, stated that "a similar earthquake to last year's is waiting for us here in Istanbul at our doorstep and poses a significant threat to us."
These statements from the Mayor of Istanbul come just weeks before the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey on February 6, 2023, which claimed the lives of around 50,000, left thousands injured, and caused massive infrastructure damage in 11 provinces located in the central, southeastern, and western parts of the country. In his remarks made a couple of days ago, İmamoğlu said that "the approaching painful anniversary of last year's earthquake makes it imperative to prepare for a potential Istanbul earthquake," pointing out that "the families of the victims of the February earthquake are facing deep problems that need solutions."
In response to this, Turkish geologist Erdal Şahin stated in an interview with "Al Arabiya.net" that "the warnings from the Mayor of Istanbul are extremely important, as he is alerting us to a potential earthquake and calling for readiness and preparation for the consequences of a possible natural disaster." Şahin, who previously chaired the Board of the Chamber of Geophysical Engineers (TMMOB) in Istanbul, noted that "Istanbul has experienced many earthquakes from the year 447 until 1999, and when we look at the historical sequence of earthquakes in Istanbul dated from 447, 542, 1296, 1509, 1719, 1766, 1894, to 1999, we see that an earthquake strikes the city every 250 years, with its epicenter in the Marmara Sea."
He continued: "Based on this historical sequence, the very recent warnings from the Mayor of Istanbul regarding the approaching date of a potential earthquake hitting the city appear scientifically valid, and thus, the city that houses millions of residents should prepare for this impending disaster in order to be able to face its repercussions and mitigate its effects."
