Veteran seismologist warns of at least magnitude 7 earthquake for eastern Bingöl

Veteran seismologist Prof. Naci Görür has warned of an earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7 to hit the eastern province of Bingöl in the near future. Görür's statement came after the province was once again shaken by an earthquake on March 9 which had a magnitude of 4.2.

Duvar English

Naci Görür, a well-known professor of geology, has said that an earthquake measuring at least magnitude 7 is expected to hit the eastern province of Bingöl in the near future.

Görür's statement came after Kandilli Observatory reported that a magnitude 4.2 earthquake hit the province at 11.20 a.m. local time on March 9. The quake occurred at a depth of 7.3 km beneath the epicenter. According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey (AFAD), the quake had a magnitude of 4.

Görür said that the latest earthquake was recorded at an area between the Bingöl center and the district Karlova. “We are expecting an earthquake within this range with a magnitude of around 7. The latest earthquake was in 1866 and had a magnitude of 7.2,” Görür noted.

Turkey is criss-crossed with faultlines and frequently suffers earthquakes. 

The earthquake of 12 May 1866 in Bingöl had a magnitude 7.2 and was associated with a 45-km long surface fault break along the north-east part of the East Anatolian Fault Zone. 

Numerous major earthquakes of significant intensity have hit the region since.

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