Mw7.0 Greek islands off the coast of western Turkey

  • Thread starter davenn
  • Start date
In summary, two teenagers on the Greek island of Samos were killed when their small boat overturned in rough seas.
  • #1
davenn
Science Advisor
Gold Member
2023 Award
9,584
10,208
Mw7.0 Greek islands off the coast of western Turkey

Still coming in on my seismo as I type this

http://www.sydneystormcity.com/seismograms.htm
Clipboard011.jpg
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000c7y0/executive
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Likes Astronuc, Klystron and fresh_42
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
  • #2
Yeah, looks bad. Only 10 miles deep, and lots of building collapses (and presumably injuries).
 
  • Sad
Likes davenn
  • #4
The magnitude 7.0 temblor occurred in an area of complex geologic movement, where multiple tectonic plates crack the surface as they jostle for position.

The tectonic complexity behind these events makes it even more challenging to understand hazards in the region, says Laura Gregory, an earthquake researcher at the University of Leeds in the U.K. "There isn't one big fault that we can focus on, but instead many faults located over a huge area, most of which could cause a devastating earthquake like today's," she tells National Geographic through direct messages on Twitter.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...quake-driven-by-wild-tectonics-of-aegean-sea/
 
  • Like
Likes davenn
  • #5
Cars in Germany have to be technically checked every 2 years to make sure they can be operated within the intended limits. Turkey copied this system, to get rid of all the rubbish vehicles and therewith often deadly accidents they had until then. They even took the name.

Unfortunately, there is no such system for buildings. That means, many buildings have been built without permission, extended with additional floors, built in times when nobody knew how to construct buildings to withstand earthquakes, etc. The result is a significantly higher risk that buildings collapse in comparison to say, Japan. They finally reported 61 casualties, and I assume most if not all of them could have been avoided if there only were stricter controls of construction works.

What makes me wonder is that there are significantly more severe earthquakes in Turkey than there are in Greece, although the image in post #1 suggest, that they share the same socket. Here is a picture which illustrates the tectonic mess in the area:
map_tectonic_units_east_med_EN.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes davenn
  • #6
fresh_42 said:
Unfortunately, there is no such system for buildings. That means, many buildings have been built without permission, extended with additional floors, built in times when nobody knew how to construct buildings to withstand earthquakes, etc. The result is a significantly higher risk that buildings collapse in comparison to say, Japan. They finally reported 61 casualties, and I assume most if not all of them could have been avoided if there only were stricter controls of construction works.
Yeah, here in California the earthquake construction codes are pretty strict and extensive. Many older buildings (especially buildings with public access) have been retrofitted to meet modern earthquake codes.

There is a nice story out of Turkey today -- a 2 year old girl was rescued after 91 hours laying in the rubble in her apartment. She lived because she happened to be next to a sturdy dishwasher that formed a small "life triangle" for her. Her dad was not home at the time of the quake, and her mom was home but did not survive.

In the disaster preparation and response training that I've been a part of, the question often comes up if people should dive for cover in "triangles of survival" (near the base of walls, etc.). But here where the earthquake codes are so strong, it's best to just get under a table or similar to protect yourself from falling objects. It's much less common for buildings to collapse when they are up to code.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/03/europe/turkey-izmir-girl-rescue-intl/index.html

1604443808750.png
 
  • Like
Likes davenn
  • #7
I didn't feel the earthquake because I was driving. I was listening to radio, and suddenly the presenters stopped talking and after a while they said "it's still shaking, it's very long" and then I figured out what was going on.
 
  • #8
fresh_42 said:
What makes me wonder is that there are significantly more severe earthquakes in Turkey than there are in Greece,
Are there? I am not sure that is the case. This earthquake technically happened in Greece, and there have been many other earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 and above the last few years. The difference is that the places that are most active are densely populated in Turkey whereas in Greece they are small islands which are not as populous, and also because of the high growth rate due to tourism in these islands most of the structures are small (and low).
 
  • Informative
Likes fresh_42
  • #9
AndreasC said:
Are there? I am not sure that is the case. This earthquake technically happened in Greece, and there have been many other earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 and above the last few years. The difference is that the places that are most active are densely populated in Turkey whereas in Greece they are small islands which are not as populous, and also because of the high growth rate due to tourism in these islands most of the structures are small (and low).
Do you know how the two teenagers on Samos died?
 
  • #10
fresh_42 said:
Do you know how the two teenagers on Samos died?
Yes. They (and some other kids) were hanging out in a very narrow street, islands are full of them. Then the earthquake happened and an old wall started collapsing into the street. The other kids made it out, tragically two didn't. It really scares me to even think about it.
 
  • Sad
Likes berkeman

1. What is the significance of a Mw7.0 earthquake?

A Mw7.0 earthquake is considered a major earthquake and can cause significant damage and destruction to buildings and infrastructure.

2. Where exactly are the Greek islands off the coast of western Turkey located?

The Greek islands off the coast of western Turkey are located in the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Turkey.

3. How often do earthquakes of this magnitude occur in this region?

Earthquakes of this magnitude occur in this region every few years. The last major earthquake in this area was in 2017, with a magnitude of Mw6.6.

4. What are the potential impacts of a Mw7.0 earthquake on the Greek islands and western Turkey?

A Mw7.0 earthquake can result in significant damage to buildings and infrastructure, as well as potential landslides and tsunamis. It can also cause loss of life and disrupt local economies.

5. Is it possible to predict when a Mw7.0 earthquake will occur in this region?

Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to predict exactly when a Mw7.0 earthquake will occur in this region. However, scientists continue to study and monitor seismic activity in the area to better understand and prepare for potential earthquakes.

Similar threads

Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
31
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
676
  • Earth Sciences
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Earth Sciences
Replies
5
Views
775
Replies
2
Views
932
  • Earth Sciences
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Earth Sciences
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
40
Views
5K
Back
Top