Signs of surface rupture from Elazığ earthquake visible in area lake

Duvar English 

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the city of Elazığ last month has caused surface rupture on the floor of an area lake, creating a white lineament that stretched for one kilometer along the water's surface, according to researchers. The quake killed 41 people, caused considerable damage to buildings, and has caused thousands of people to be displaced from their homes.

The Karakaya lake, located in Elazığ's Sivrice district, was the hypocenter of the earthquake, or the point in the earth at which the rupture from a quake begins.

Following the earthquake, a number of researchers and experts traveled to survey and record the damage caused to the geologic structure of the area. 

“In this area, where the Eastern Anatolian Fault passes from the Euphrates River to the southern coast, a great lineament has occurred on the water's surface, possibly due to a water or gas outflow from the surface rupture at the bottom of the Euphrates River,” said geologist Dr. Akın Kurçer, speaking in a video while observing the lineament from the coast.

Turkey has a history of powerful earthquakes. More than 17,000 people were killed in August 1999 when a 7.6 magnitude quake struck İzmit, a city in the province bordering Istanbul to the east. In 2011, a quake in the eastern province of Van killed more than 500.