Critical warning for Malatya: Risk of 6.2 magnitude earthquake on Pütürge line

Following the February 6 earthquakes in Malatya, attention has turned to fault lines not yet considered broken. In an exclusive statement to yenimalatya.com.tr, President Yunus Gülmez focused on the fault line extending from the Battalgazi Gülümuşağı region to Pütürge. Gülmez stated that the Elazığ Sivrice earthquake and the February 6 earthquakes caused numerous aftershocks in these regions, and experts describe this section as an unbroken branch.

According to recent assessments, there is approximately a 25-kilometer fault line in the region in question, and it is stated that this line has not completely broken. President Gülmez emphasized that the region, where a 5.6 magnitude earthquake last occurred, is a deformation zone and the possibility of a second faulting is high. In light of this data, it is predicted that the fault in question could produce an earthquake of 6.0 to 6.2 magnitude, and the region could completely relax with such a shock.

Speaking about earthquake predictions, Gülmez said that a magnitude 6 earthquake would reduce stress in the region, but it is not possible to know exactly when this event will occur. Additionally, it was shared that there is a high probability of an earthquake occurring between 5.7 and 5.8 magnitude, and the course of aftershocks follows a path parallel to the Doğanyol-Pütürge segment.

Yunus Gülmez, also evaluating the general risk situation in Malatya, announced that there is currently no second region within the city limits where another earthquake is expected. However, he stated that scientific studies on the Malatya Fault are continuing, the results of the article prepared on this subject are awaited, and the data in question will create a clear picture.

Finally, referring to the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration's (MTA) current active fault map, Gülmez stated that these maps were prepared as a result of field studies and that many new faults were added compared to previous maps. He added that these new faults have been determined to be active, but scientific studies and expert evaluations need to be followed to clearly understand the level of danger they may pose.