Turkey on the Brink of a Devastating Earthquake: New Warnings Raise Concerns

Turkey continues to live in a state of anxiety and anticipation following the earthquake that struck the Simav district in Kütahya province in western Turkey, with a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale, an earthquake felt by millions in major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and Balıkesir, raising widespread fears of a larger seismic disaster on the way.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and international seismic stations confirmed the presence of an active fault in the region extending northwest to southeast, which is a natural fault with a strike-slip mechanism classified as capable of generating strong earthquakes exceeding 7 degrees.

Professor Şener Uşumzoy, one of Turkey's leading earthquake experts, went live on his official platforms to warn again about the fault in the Simav area, confirming that it "is capable of producing an earthquake with a magnitude exceeding 6.5 degrees," warning against ignoring the increasing danger signals.

For his part, Professor Hasan Sözbilir, director of the Earthquake Research Center at Dokuz Eylul University, stated that the region has been experiencing increasing seismic activity since last April, with several tremors exceeding a magnitude of 4 degrees.

He explained that the recent earthquake in Simav is considered the "main shock," noting that it is different in location and source from the earthquake in Sandıklı that occurred on August 10.

Sözbilir pointed out that the recent earthquake resulted from the release of pressure accumulated since the earthquakes of 2011 and 2012, which had magnitudes of 5.7 degrees at that time.

He also warned of the possibility of continued seismic activity in the region due to expected aftershocks.

Turkish geologist Süleyman Pamuk stated that the western Anatolia region has historically witnessed devastating earthquakes, noting that the fault in Kütahya becomes active every 10 to 15 years, producing earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 6 to 7 degrees. He said:

 "Earthquakes are expected at any moment ... but no one can predict the extent of damage and losses in advance."

In light of the escalating warnings, Turkish authorities urged citizens not to panic, but to be always prepared for quick action in case of any strong tremors.

They advised them to keep their identification documents and valuable items in easily accessible places and to follow safety precautionary guidelines.

The AFAD administration confirmed that the epicenter of the recent earthquake was in the Simav district, which caused panic among citizens who rushed to the streets, while some minor injuries and limited damage to old buildings were recorded, with no human losses.

With increasing warnings of a possible earthquake exceeding 7 degrees, residents live in a state of anticipation and anxiety, while experts and authorities call for psychological and material preparedness for any emergency that may occur.