“People Are Literally Waiting for Their Deaths in 100,000 Buildings in Istanbul”: Seismologist

Leading Turkish seismologist Naji Geruyur, who has repeatedly warned authorities about the high likelihood of devastating earthquakes in Istanbul, has stated that people living in the megacity's buildings are under constant threat of death due to a potential catastrophe.

In March, former Minister of Urban Development Murat Kurum announced that the Turkish government plans to relocate 1.5 million residents living in non-seismic buildings in Istanbul. The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has criticized these plans, pointing out the issues related to the city's overpopulation.

İmamoğlu previously outlined the municipality's plans to prepare for an earthquake, noting that it is inevitable, although it is impossible to predict exactly when the disaster will occur. According to the municipality's estimates, at least 90,000 buildings could collapse in the event of a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, and approximately 4.5 million citizens may require temporary shelter.

“We know that people are literally waiting for their deaths in 100,000 buildings in Istanbul. Let’s first take care of these people. Let’s first build houses for those whose lives are at risk,” said the seismologist, as reported by Hürriyet newspaper.

It is worth recalling that on February 6, 2023, earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 struck Kahramanmaraş province in southeastern Turkey, just 9 hours apart. The tremors, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, were felt across 11 provinces in the country and neighboring states, including Syria. According to the latest data, more than 55,000 people have died in Turkey.