In spite of warnings that a major earthquake is likely to hit Istanbul, the government is dragging its feet as it readies the city of 12 million inhabitants for a possible disaster.
"The chance of a quake measuring 7.0 or higher on the Richter scale in the next three decades is above 60 percent " warns Naci Gorur of the Marmara seismic research center, according to AFP.
He believes that as many as six out of ten buildings in Istanbul would not withstand such a strong quake. "Istanbul isn't ready," he simply made clear. Seismologists have long warned of the high probability of a strong earthquake along the North Anatolian fault, which runs under the Sea of Marmara, close to Istanbul.
The 1,000-kilometer long fault splits Turkey into northern and southern blocks along a line running from the Aegean to the Armenian border. (Albawaba.com)
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