A strong earthquake and tsunami are expected in Istanbul

The Turkish government has warned Istanbul residents of the threat of a strong earthquake and tsunami. An earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher could hit the city, home to more than 15 million people, and could trigger a tsunami 3-5 meters high. Sirens have been installed in coastal areas, and a system for sending out alerts to residents has been activated. According to Sahiba Hayot, an Uzbek journalist living in Istanbul, some people are fleeing to Ankara out of fear of an earthquake.

The Turkish government has begun preparing for a possible earthquake and tsunami due to seismic activity on the island of Santorini. A number of Turkish media outlets, citing the State Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, are warning residents of strong earthquakes. Sirens have been installed in coastal areas, and a system for sending SMS messages to residents before an earthquake is being activated. The Turkish press is paying serious attention to this.

Today, according to Sahiba Hayot, a journalist living in Istanbul, Turkey, the topic of earthquakes is on the agenda for Turks. One of the criteria used when buying a house, choosing a job, or choosing a city to live in is earthquakes.

“They are reporting that there will be an earthquake with a magnitude of more than seven, the media is also saying the same thing, and people are being asked to be prepared. Of course, earthquakes cannot be prevented, but the state can reduce the risk of natural disasters. I can say that the awareness and warning work is going very well. Department employees are even going door-to-door in neighborhoods. The biggest danger in an earthquake is in houses, and the government’s current priority is to inspect these houses. We need to demolish the old ones and move people to new ones,” – Sohiba Hayat, journalist.

But providing people with strong and durable houses is not easy. Because Istanbul has more than 15 million people, and it is impossible to move everyone to new buildings in a short time.

The February 2023 earthquakes and their tragic consequences claimed more than 50,000 lives. Construction and housing work is still ongoing in those areas. In such conditions, the government is adamant about building standards and maintaining earthquake-resistant buildings.

According to our interlocutor, people are used to the topic of earthquakes. Because earthquakes and natural disasters are not new to the people of Istanbul and have become a part of Turkish life, they take it for granted, says Sahiba Hayot.

“But there are two types of people, those who are very afraid of earthquakes. After the warning about this earthquake, people living in Istanbul and its surroundings moved to Ankara, thinking that the probability of an earthquake is low, and I know such Uzbeks. Those who are connected to the city, those who have their homes and workplaces here, cannot leave Istanbul. They have taken precautions, they keep all the necessary things and documents in one place,” says Sahiba Hayot, journalist.

After the terrible earthquakes of 2023, the dissatisfaction of the population of the region with the government and the president himself increased. This natural disaster, which occurred before the elections, was a big minus for Erdogan and his administration, but the president's team worked actively and tried to be with the people. The dissatisfaction is strong on social networks, but in real life people are calm and love Erdogan, says the journalist.

“You know, when I went to each of the regions where the earthquake occurred in 2023 and prepared materials, I saw dissatisfaction with politics and disappointment on the faces of people. However, it was not very strong, almost everyone was grateful that they survived. The promise of building new houses for people in a short time calmed them down, but when I went there last year, I saw that half of the population was still living in tents. As for Erdogan, there are many people who are dissatisfied with him, but the people still love him” – Sahiba Hayot, journalist.

Turkey is one of the countries where the largest number of Uzbek immigrants and the largest Uzbek diaspora live. A possible earthquake also poses a threat to them, and when we asked the journalist about the current mood of our compatriots, our interlocutor said that the topic of earthquakes is not in the first place for migrants.

"My work is directly related to migrants. Having talked to them a lot, I can say that for migrants, wages and working conditions are the most important. Only after that do our Uzbeks pay attention to documents, and earthquakes and living conditions come last. Because migrants do not quit their jobs because of the threat of earthquakes, for them earning money and sending it home is always in the first place" - Sahiba Hayot, journalist.

Let us recall that since February 7, 761 earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 3 have occurred in the Aegean Sea. This seismic activity poses a threat to Istanbul.

"There are constant tremors in the Aegean Sea. There is a possibility that the consequences of events such as strong earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanic eruptions that may occur as a result of this seismic activity may reach Turkey," the Natural Disasters and Emergency Situations Authority (AFAD) said in a statement. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!