Ahmet Ercan warned: "An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 may occur! There is a buildup of tension"
Prof. Dr. Övgün Ahmet Ercan warned after the recent earthquakes in the Aegean region: "This movement can produce earthquakes with magnitudes up to 7.5 in the Crete-Rhodes arc region." Ercan stated that there is no rule that every "earthquake storm" will necessarily lead to a major earthquake and highlighted the tension in the Gulf of Gökova and the Fethiye-Marmaris region.
According to data from the Earthquake Department of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0 occurred in the Menteşe district of Muğla, another of 4.0 off the coast of Marmaris, and one of 3.5 off the coast of Bodrum. Following the earthquakes in the region, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ercan made important warnings.
Ercan emphasized that the accumulated tension in the region will eventually result in an earthquake and said the following in a statement to halktv.com.tr:
"The main cause of the earthquakes in Muğla is the movement of the African continent towards Anatolia, the Aegean, and the Adriatic, like a raft moving in the sea. The African plate pushes Anatolia northward beneath the southern Aegean arc, including the Peloponnese, Crete, Rhodes arcs, and the Cyprus arc, creating tension. Anatolia, under this tension, compresses and releases its stress in small earthquakes from time to time. This process has been ongoing for approximately 10 million years, advancing 3 to 5 cm annually, and will continue in the future.
EARTHQUAKES WITH MAGNITUDES UP TO 7.5 MAY OCCUR IN THE CRETE-RHODES ARC REGION
This movement can produce earthquakes with magnitudes up to 7.5 in the Crete-Rhodes arc region. These are the deepest earthquakes in Turkey. While the average depth of earthquakes in Turkey is 5 to 7 kilometers, the depth of these earthquakes can reach up to 150 kilometers. Currently, the activity is concentrated in the Ula district of Muğla and the northern edge of the Gulf of Gökova, which we call the Gökova Fault. This fault starts in Ula, passes through the area of the Gökova thermal power plant, and extends towards Bodrum.
WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN AN EARTHQUAKE
The earthquakes that occurred in Bodrum in 2017 were related to this fault. Currently, that region appears to be very active again, and we are observing an "earthquake storm." The reason for the series of earthquakes is this tension. However, there is no rule that every "earthquake storm" will be followed by a major earthquake. But it shows that there is a buildup of tension, especially in the area of the Gulf of Gökova and the Fethiye-Marmaris region. This will eventually result in an earthquake".
