Turkey's active fault map shows 700 faults, up from 485

The Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) General Directorate released the updated Turkey Diri Fay Map‑2026 after 13 years of field work and academic research. The new map raises the count of known active faults from 485 to 700, adding 215 newly identified fault segments.

MTA Director Vedat Yanık said the database will serve as a core reference for earthquake‑hazard analysis, critical‑infrastructure planning and national loss‑reduction policies. He stressed that the higher fault count does not automatically mean a higher immediate earthquake risk, but provides a more detailed picture for future assessments.

Experts such as Prof. Dr. Naci Görür and Prof. Dr. Osman Bektaş echoed that the increase highlights the need for comprehensive, earthquake‑resilient urban design, beyond merely constructing new buildings. The Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers also called for the new data to be incorporated into city‑planning and building‑code decisions. The map will feed into AFAD’s forthcoming updated national earthquake‑hazard map.