Recent quakes in Gemlik revive calls for relocation

BURSA

A series of earthquakes in the northwestern city of Bursa's Gemlik district earlier this week have reignited longstanding concerns about seismic risk in the region and prompted renewed calls for the district's relocation.

Tremors measuring 3.9, 4.2 and 4.3 struck Gemlik on July 1 and 2, shaking surrounding areas and stirring unease as far as Istanbul, where fears remain high over a long-anticipated major earthquake.

"A major earthquake that may occur sooner or later could cause serious damage. Serious attention should be paid to an earthquake-resistant Gemlik," geologist Naci Görür wrote in an X post on July 2.

For his part, professor Şükrü Ersoy said both the northern and southern branches of the Marmara Fault — one running toward Istanbul and the other through Gemlik — deserve equal scrutiny.

"These consecutive tremors show us that the faults in this region are alive," he told daily Hürriyet.

Earthquake expert Süleyman Pampal echoed the urgency, warning that a large-scale earthquake could hit the district at any moment. He stressed the need for comprehensive urban planning rather than piecemeal solutions.

"Marmara is not just Istanbul. The entire region should be handled with the same sensitivity," Pampal said.

Although the government issued a decree in 2017 to relocate Gemlik to more stable ground, no progress has been made over the past eight years, reportedly due to "unresolved disputes over the future of the vacated areas."