Eastern Black Sea faces increased earthquake risks

TRABZON

An expert in geology has raised alarms over the heightened earthquake risks faced by the Black Sea region's eastern parts, citing the perilous combination of landslides and unstable ground conditions.

The region finds itself encircled by multiple fault lines, including the North Anatolian Fault Line to the southwest, the Northeast Anatolian Fault Line to the southeast and the Black Sea Fault to the north.

Against the geological backdrop, Professor Osman Bektaş sounded the alarm on the structural vulnerability of buildings in the region, warning that current construction practices have left people dangerously exposed to seismic activity.

"Unfortunately, the building stock in the Eastern Black Sea region is not earthquake-resistant," he stated. "This means that not only is our current building stock vulnerable to earthquakes, but urban development also exists on landslide sites, slopes or beach areas."

Bektaş singled out specific locales such as Yomra, Beşirli and Akyazı as particularly vulnerable, noting that structures erected on sandy areas, river beds and landslide-prone terrain are at heightened risk of collapse in the event of a seismic event.