Turkey conducts large-scale earthquake drill in Aegean region

On the sixth anniversary of the 2020 İzmir earthquake, Turkey conducted the İzmir Regional Level Earthquake Drill under the Turkey Disaster Response Plan (TAMP). The exercise simulated a 6.7 magnitude earthquake lasting 28 seconds, with an epicenter in Kemalpaşa, İzmir.

The drill involved 2,198 personnel and 486 vehicles, including a helicopter, across 43 districts in İzmir, Manisa, and Aydın. Field operations included search and rescue at simulated ruins in Buca and Torbalı, chemical and radiological response at SOCAR Türkiye facilities in Aliağa, and animal evacuation in Menemen.

In addition to the large-scale drill, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality distributed 500 earthquake preparedness kits and educational books to students in pilot schools to increase disaster awareness. Local organizations and the İzmir Bar Association also held memorial services at the Bayraklı Earthquake Monument to honor the 117 victims of the 2020 disaster.