Geologist warns Feb. 6 earthquake effects linger after new tremor in Gaziantep

A recent magnitude 4.5 earthquake in Nurdağı, Gaziantep, has prompted geologist Prof. Dr. Osman Bektaş to issue a stark warning: the seismic activity along the Hatay-Gaziantep fault line is far from over.

Bektaş pointed to the June 13 event, and a similar magnitude 4.5 quake on August 9, as significant data suggesting the lingering impact of the devastating Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes. He noted that the stress transferred deep within the earth following the initial quakes, which ruptured the western part of the fault, may be accumulating along the eastern segment, known as the ÖDF.

"6 February is still talking!" Bektaş posted on social media, emphasizing that the process initiated by the Feb. 6 quakes has not concluded. He expressed concern that the increasing stress on the ÖDF could be pushing it toward a new rupture, urging vigilance for the eastern side of the Amik Plain. The seismic activity over the past three years, he stated, supports the need to consider this possibility.