Professor Hasan Sözbilir, director of the Earthquake Research and Application Center (DAUM) at the "Dokuz Eylül" University (Deü) in Izmir, said that the recent earthquakes in the Aegean Sea are the result of magmatic sources and hydrothermal activity, which points to the beginning of new volcanic activity, quoted by Focus.
„If the underwater faults in this region trigger an earthquake with a magnitude of more than 7, the coasts of Kusadasi and Bodrum could be affected by a tsunami. "Necessary precautions should be taken based on this risk," warned Professor Sözbilir, quoted by Hellas Now.
More than 200 earthquakes have been recorded in the Aegean Sea since the previous day, with the strongest one measuring 4.8. Dr. Hasan Sözbilir, who is assessing these earthquakes, said that "a swarm of earthquakes with magnitudes between 3 and 4.8 has been observed in recent days, north of the island of Santorini. This arc-shaped area, known as the South Aegean Volcanic Zone, contains volcanic islands such as Santorini, Milos and Nisyros, where earthquakes have occurred in historical periods."
He explained that underwater active faults in the area control these volcanic springs, while also triggering earthquakes. “These faults break the crust under the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, thus offsetting the tension in the region. The Aegean subduction zone, known for its arc-shaped geometric lines, runs south of the island of Crete and is an area of high seismic activity“, he added.
“The recent earthquakes indicate the beginning of new volcanic activity in the region“, concluded Professor Sözbilir.