Nearly 22,500 earthquakes recorded in Türkiye since February 6

The “Earthquake Research Virtual Conference” organized by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK) was held Thursday with the participation of several high state officials and the president of the council.

The head of Disaster and Emergency Management Authorıty (AFAD) Yunus Sezer, also took part in a session of the conference, noting that the number of aftershocks since Feb. 6 earthquakes till now has been close to 22,500,

Sezer also pointed out that the last month’s earthquake was the third largest quake after the North Anatolian quake in 1668 and the one that occurred in Erzincan in 1939.

In his speech the head of AFAD said: “The duration of the first earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 was 65 seconds, and the second earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 was measured as 45 seconds. So far, 22,500 earthquakes have occurred. This figure equals the average number of earthquakes we recorded in a year. Only the number of aftershocks between 5.0 and 6.0 magnitudes is 47. As a result of both earthquakes, 400 kilometers (248.59 miles) of surface ruptures occurred, and displacements of up to 7.5 meters (24.61 feet) occurred in the earth’s crust.”

Sezer stated that as a result of earthquakes with epicenters in Kahramanmaras, 56,426 buildings were destroyed or will be urgently demolished, 206,452 buildings were seriously damaged, 48,984 were medium and 516,352 were light damaged.