Türkiye: Experts advise every city to have a disaster master plan to prepare for possible risks.

The Mersin Consultation Club organized a meeting where experts discussed measures against earthquake risks, including implementing an earthquake master plan and creating a risk map.

The meeting was held after earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay.

Speakers at the meeting included Mersin University Geological Engineering Department Retired Lecturer Prof. Dr. Selim Inan and city planner Sibel Gazi.

They emphasized the importance of disaster-resilient settlement planning, paying attention to climate, local architecture, urban patterns, and urban design plans.

They suggested that new settlements be addressed and an earthquake master plan implemented in each province accordingly.

Prof. Dr. Selim Inan also addressed concerns about a possible tsunami in Mersin, stating that earthquakes on land do not create tsunamis.

He explained that for a tsunami to occur, the fault must be in the sea and lift the sea floor, creating waves that accelerate and reach the shore.

He reassured me that they expect a smaller wave in Mersin and Adana.

City planner Sibel Gazi suggested that independent sub-projects should be part of the disaster master plan, coordinating multi-faceted measures in cities against earthquake hazards.

She recommended preparing geological and geotechnical survey reports based on the zoning plan for the metropolitan area and creating risk maps.

These risk maps should determine objectionable areas due to ground structure, liquefaction and swelling potential, flood areas, and fault lines.

Land use decisions, island regulations, and building typology should be created based on these risk maps, and structures in such objectionable areas should be eliminated as soon as possible.