OPEN LETTER/ Come to the dialogue and listen to me speak, otherwise I will cut off your scholarships, you will rot in prison. Please!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, what happened under the surface of the earth according to science?

2023-02-08 23:33:39Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

 

Deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, what happened under the surface of the
Deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, what happened under the surface of the earth according to science?

 

Earthquakes that occur at a shallow depth are likely to be the deadliest this decade. This fact has been reported by seismological scientists, according to whom, the one that hit Turkey and Syria, with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale, is also considered one.

With its epicenter 26 km east of the Turkish city of Nurdagi, it had a depth of about 18 km on the East Anatolian Fault, which runs from eastern to south-central Turkey. It radiated northeastward, with a rift of more than 100 km between the Anatolian and Arabian plates.

Earthquakes can be caused by a wide range of causes, including even man-made ones such as mining and other extractive activities.

While the damage caused by these activities can be minimized, natural earthquakes caused by sudden shifts in the earth's tectonic plates cannot be prevented.

 

Deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, what happened under the surface of the
The movements of the tectonic plates that caused the earthquake

 

What is the fault of Eastern Anatolia?

The Eastern Anatolian fault, which was responsible for Monday's disaster, is a rift, the kind where two tectonic plates slide over each other horizontally. The earth is divided into different parts, "like a puzzle".

These parts meet at fault lines, where the plates usually grind against each other slowly. But once enough tension is built up, they can quickly pass each other, releasing a huge amount of energy.

In this case, one plate moved west while the other moved east – slamming into each other to create the earthquake.

How strong was this earthquake?

On average, fewer than 20 earthquakes over 7.0 strike each year around the world, making Monday's event particularly severe.

According to the US Geological Survey, only three earthquakes have been recorded above 6.0 on the Richter scale since 1970. But in 1822, a 7.0 earthquake struck the region, killing about 20,000 people.

Compared to the 6.2 earthquake that struck central Italy in 2016 and killed around 300 people, the Turkey-Syria earthquake released 250 times more energy, according to Joanna Faure Walker, head of University College London's Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction.

 

Deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, what happened under the surface of the
Map of earthquakes in Turkey in the years 1900–2020

 

Shallow depth

The initial rupture for the Turkey-Syria earthquake started at a relatively shallow depth. The earthquake was powerful – especially for an earthquake that hit the ground.

"Typically, very strong earthquakes occur underwater," said Margarita Segou, a seismologist at the British Geological Survey.

How long will the aftershocks last?

Eleven minutes after the initial earthquake, the region was hit by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck a few hours later, followed by another 6.0-magnitude shock in the afternoon.

Scientists expect these aftershocks to continue for some time as seismic activity is now spreading to neighboring countries. We remember that, after the deadly event of 1822, the aftershocks continued the following year.

Seismically active region

Almost all of Turkey is an active seismic zone and this is not something new for the country.

Turkey was hit by another major earthquake in January 2020 – a magnitude 6.7 that caused significant damage in the eastern part of the country. In 1999, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Istanbul and killed around 18,000 people.

Deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, what happened under the surface of the
The deadliest earthquakes to hit Turkey in years

Why the final death toll could rise

Earthquakes of equal magnitude in similarly populated areas have killed thousands of people. The 7.8 magnitude Nepal earthquake in 2015 claimed nearly 9,000 lives.

On the other hand, the cold winter weather means that people trapped under the rubble have less chance of survival.

Galeria fotografike (
)


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×