Van earthquake expert warns of seismic activity between fault zones

On the 15th anniversary of the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Van in 2011, geophysics expert Associate Professor Hamdi Alkan has issued warnings regarding ongoing seismic activity in the region.

Alkan, from Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, reported that over 20,000 earthquakes have been recorded in the Van area between 2011 and 2026. He emphasized that most of these are shallow-focus earthquakes, which can result in more significant surface impacts.

Specifically, Alkan highlighted the area between the Van Fault Zone and the Erciş Fault Zone, noting that approximately 30 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 4.0 have been recorded in this specific corridor since 2015. He stressed the necessity of detailed scientific investigation into these fault zones to understand future risks.