PNN – A report published by the American newspaper The New York Times has warned of the possibility of a powerful earthquake striking Turkey.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, citing Russia Today, The New York Times said in a report that the Turkish city of Istanbul is facing a serious threat based on developments deep beneath the Sea of Marmara.
The report said the fault line beneath this body of water, which connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, is under increasing pressure.
Based on a new study published in the journal Science, the report points to worrying developments. Over the past 20 years, strong earthquakes have occurred and have consistently migrated eastward. Stephen Hicks, a seismologist at University College London, warned that Istanbul is at risk.
The study shows that powerful earthquakes are moving toward a locked segment known to scientists as the “Main Marmara Fault,” located beneath the sea southwest of Istanbul. Notably, this area has been suspiciously quiet since a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in 1766.
If this situation continues and a rupture occurs in the area, it could trigger an earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher in the city of 16 million people. Experts believe the next quake could be powerful and may strike directly beneath Istanbul.
Finally, Dr. Hubbard of Cornell University warned that a very large earthquake near Istanbul could lead to one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the modern era.