‘Aftershocks’ in Turkey after earthquake: Why do aftershocks occur?
Turkey earthquake: Reports of multiple aftershocks have emerged following the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake early morning in Turkey. Among them is a 7.5-magnitude quake in Ekinozu, around 95 km from the epicentre of the original quake.
A man looks for survivors under the rubble following the earthquake in Diyarbakir, Turkey. (Photo: REUTERS/Sertac Kayar) Hours after a massive earthquake hit south-central Turkey and northern Syria, aftershocks have continued to cause damage and spread chaos. According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), over 30 earthquakes over a magnitude of 4 have been recorded in Turkey since the original quake, with the strongest being a quake measured at 7.5 Mv at 13:24 local time (GMT +3).
Massive earthquakes are often followed by multiple aftershocks, which can last for hours or even days. These aftershocks add to the damage and chaos of the original quake, sending weakened structures crashing down and spreading fear amidst an already traumatised population.
What are aftershocks and why do they occur?
According to the USGS, aftershocks are a sequence of earthquakes that happen after a larger mainshock on a fault. Aftershocks occur near the fault zone where the mainshock rupture occurred and are part of the “readjustment process” after the main slip on the fault.
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