Türkiye’s Aegean cities to hold emergency meeting amid earthquakes
ISTANBUL

The mayors of Türkiye’s five Aegean provinces are set to convene an emergency summit to discuss potential measures amid ongoing seismic activity in the region and an evacuation mobilization on one of Greece’s islands.
The Aegean Sea has been relentlessly shaken by successive tremors since Jan. 28, with Türkiye’s disaster response agency reporting that over 400 earthquakes have been recorded thus far.
In the early hours of Feb. 4, Greek media highlighted that more than 20 moderate-intensity quakes occurred throughout the night, exacerbating fears of a potential tsunami in the event of a major rupture — an alarming scenario for both nations.
Most recently, at 10:22 a.m., a 4.7-magnitude tremor hit the Aegean Sea. The quake struck at a depth of 6.64 kilometers and was located 171.26 kilometers off the coast of Bodrum, a district in Türkiye’s Muğla province.
The municipalities of Muğla, İzmir, Aydın, Denizli and Manisa will coordinate their response under the chair of Gökan Zeybek, a key figure of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) commission dedicated to fortifying cities against seismic threats.
Renowned seismologist Naci Görür, providing insight into the ramifications of the Aegean tremors for Türkiye, underscored the necessity of heightened vigilance, particularly for the provinces of Muğla and Aydın.
“These seismic events are transpiring to the northeast of Santorini Island. While Istanbul is somewhat removed from this activity, the Aydın and Muğla regions are in closer proximity. This is an area subjected to tremors every 15 to 20 minutes. Even in the absence of visible structural damage, micro-deformations are inevitable,” Görür stated in an interview with daily Hürriyet.
“If a substantial rupture were to occur in close proximity to Türkiye, we could face not only significant tremors but also structural devastation. Moreover, the likelihood of a tsunami cannot be discounted.”
Should this seismic storm persist and if the fault line ruptures in a manner conducive to high-magnitude quakes, Türkiye’s coastal regions could find themselves within the reach of a consequential tsunami.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has appealed for calm after a wave of seismic tremors hit the tourist island of Santorini, prompting hundreds of locals to leave the picturesque spot in the Aegean.
Speaking from Brussels, Mitsotakis said authorities were monitoring a "very intense" geological phenomenon over recent days, adding: "I want to ask our islanders above all to remain calm."
The quakes prompted authorities to send rescue units to the area and close schools until Feb. 7. Some areas have been declared off-limits because of rockslide risks.