Discovery Of Terror: Expanding Fault Under Turkey Raises Concerns

The ongoing seismic activity in the Aegean region, which has been shaking since the end of last month, has significantly alarmed Turkey.

The nation has been battling against powerful and lethal earthquakes, and recent reports from Germany have added to the growing fears.

According to a university study, a fault beneath Turkey is expanding and may be heading towards Iraq, as indicated by research conducted by the University of Göttingen.

Researchers from the university have released a concerning study that highlights a growing fault in the ancient Tethys oceanic plate beneath Turkey. The fault, they say, behaves like a piece of paper torn from a calendar, expanding ominously from Turkey towards Iraq.

The team led by the University of Göttingen examined how the forces from the Zagros mountains in the Iraqi Kurdistan region have shaped the Earth’s surface over the past 20 million years. Their findings indicate that a portion of the ancient Neotethys ocean still lingers beneath the Arabian plate but has notably broken under Turkey. This groundbreaking research, published in the journal Solid Earth, sheds light on critical geological processes deep within our planet.

Dr. Renas Koshnaw, the lead author, explained, “This plate is pulling the region further down, allowing room for sediments to deposit. As it moves towards Turkey, the subsidence flattens, suggesting the oceanic plate in this region has fractured and its impact has lessened. The fault seems to stretch from Turkey to Iraq, much like tearing a page from a calendar.”

Significantly, such studies also open discussions about potential future geological shifts, including speculative scenarios about the African continent’s stability.

In Turkey, the unfolding incidents in the Cyclades have prompted expert discussions, including a recent session at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). Professor Dr. Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu, from the Department of Geoinformatics Engineering, has reassured the public about the limited impact of these seismic phenomena on Turkey. Commenting on possible volcanic activity, he said, “A tsunami of about one or two meters could occur, but it won’t be related to Istanbul. It’s unlikely to develop into major eruptions like those seen in Italy or Iceland.”

Regarding potential tsunamis following a rupture in the Greek arc, experts assess a maximum wave height of five meters, far less than the tsunamis seen in the Far East. These insights are crucial as communities prepare for and respond to possible natural disasters.