Türkiye hit by 4 quakes per hour in first half of 2025

ANKARA

More than 18,000 earthquakes were recorded in Türkiye during the first half of 2025, translating to an average of four earthquakes per hour or 100 per day, an expert has warned.

“Between Jan. 1 and June 30, we recorded 18,191 earthquakes, which is already nearing the yearly average,” said Bülent Özmen, an associate professor of disaster management.

Türkiye sits atop nearly 1,000 active fault lines, including those offshore, and experiences around 25,000 earthquakes annually, according to the expert.

He attributed part of the increase to a series of earthquake swarms near Greece’s Santorini and Amorgos islands in January and February, as well as a magnitude 6.2 quake that struck Istanbul on April 23.

The tremors in Santorini affected the country’s Aegean region, while the one in Istanbul caused many residents in the megacity to spend the night outdoors due to persistent aftershocks.

The highest number of earthquakes occurred in the southwestern province of Muğla, followed by the cities of Malatya, Kütahya, Kahramanmaraş and Istanbul. Kahramanmaraş and Malatya are among the cities hit by the twin earthquakes on Feb. 6, 2023.

“Even quakes below magnitude 2 are now being detected,” Özmen noted, adding that February and April saw the most seismic activity.

According to official data, there were 206 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 4.9, 18 earthquakes between 5.0 and 5.9 and three earthquakes above magnitude 6.0.

Among the most significant were the Istanbul quake, another in the central city of Konya’s Kulu district and one off the coast of Bozburun, near Muğla’s Marmaris.

These events led to two deaths and 452 injuries.

Özmen especially highlighted recent tremors in the Marmara region.

On July 1 and 2, earthquakes measuring 3.9, 4.2, and 4.3 struck the northwestern province of Bursa’s Gemlik district, followed by a magnitude 3.8 quake on July 5 off the coast of Istanbul’s Silivri, near the Kumburgaz fault segment.

“Most people focus on the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault that runs 15–20 kilometers offshore from Istanbul. However, these recent quakes near Gemlik suggest that the southern branch of the fault also poses a serious threat for Istanbul,” he warned.

He further explained that while most earthquakes occur along major fault lines like the North Anatolian and East Anatolian faults, central regions such as Ankara and Konya are not exempt.

These areas contain active intra-plate faults capable of producing damaging earthquakes, as seen with recent tremors in Kulu and Ankara.

Özmen called for intensified efforts to mitigate seismic risks across Türkiye, particularly in Istanbul and the Marmara region.

A magnitude 7 or greater earthquake in the Marmara Sea could be two to three times more devastating than the Feb. 6 quakes in southern Türkiye, according to the expert.