Turkey seismologists say small faults and soft ground raise localized quake risk

Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy explained that the recent series of tremors in Kayseri’s Pınarbaşı district are caused by numerous small faults and block structures rather than a single large fault. He stressed that these minor shocks do not indicate an imminent major earthquake and are not linked to the February 6 Kahramanmaraş event. The complex tectonic setting also affects nearby areas such as Sarız, Tufanbeyli, Şarkışla and the northern Çukurova region.

Prof. Dr. Osman Bektaş warned that the Black Sea coastal provinces of Ordu, Trabzon and Rize face heightened earthquake risk because alluvial and fill soils can amplify seismic waves. He cited AFAD’s scenario of a possible magnitude 6.6 quake and highlighted secondary hazards such as landslides, soil liquefaction and ground settlement that could follow a strong shaking event.